Celebrating Commitment, Courage and Professionalism in the Surrey Fire & Rescue Service.
The Surrey Fire & Rescue Service Honours and Awards ceremony on 10 November was a striking demonstration of the camaraderie within the Service. The atmosphere in the audience was warm and supportive, and listening to the citations made it clear why each person was being recognised. It was an interesting and humbling evening.
The ceremony recognised commitment, courage and professionalism across every part of the Service, whether firefighters, control staff, prevention and protection teams, support staff or volunteers. The awards covered several categories:
- Long Service and Good Conduct Medals, marking decades of exemplary service, like Paul Bartlett who joined the Surrey Fire Brigade in 1981.
- Awards for meritorious actions and acts of bravery, such as the actions of Lucasz Solis and ambulance driver Louis Warren, who saved Lucasz’ mother from a serious house fire.
- Recognition for those who have gone above and beyond, on the frontline or behind the scenes – for example the Fordbridge White Watch team.
- The contributions of volunteers and support staff like Melanie Berry who has served the fire and rescue community for over 50 years.
Each award represents hours of training, moments of crucial thinking and a quiet determination to make a difference.
In my role as High Sheriff, I meet many people who do remarkable things day in and day out, and members of the Fire and Rescue Service are firmly among them. Their impact extends beyond emergency response into prevention, education and community outreach.
Congratulations to everyone honoured and thank you to the whole Service for its dedication and spirit.
