- More than 80 businesses honoured at 2024 Volunteer Employer Recognition Awards
- Two organisations received a distinction for outstanding support
- Cook Government thanks volunteers for their key role in boosting community safety
A long list of employers from Kununurra to Esperance have been recognised for their generous support of Western Australia’s emergency services volunteers.
Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said the Volunteer Employer Recognition Awards (VERA) was a valuable opportunity to acknowledge workplaces that go above and beyond to enable their staff to respond to emergencies during work hours.
Now in its 16th year, VERA also acknowledges the self-employed volunteers who must often close their doors or turn down jobs at a moment’s notice to attend incidents.
A total of 82 businesses, organisations and self-employed volunteers from across the State were celebrated at the 2024 VERA ceremony, a significant rise from last year with 57 businesses. The event is hosted by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).
Two nominees – the Shires of Mundaring and Narrogin – received distinctions for outstanding support, which are awarded to organisations receiving their fourth VERA.
With DFES on high alert for another busy summer, WA businesses will again be a strong pillar of support to help keep the State safe.
As stated by Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson:
“On behalf of the Cook Government and all Western Australians, I thank and commend these businesses who are prepared to send their workers off to an emergency incident at the drop of a hat.
“Congratulations to all the 82 businesses and organisations recognised for their invaluable personal contribution and support of our amazing emergency services volunteers.
“It is wonderful that the list includes individuals who are self-employed volunteers willing to put the community interest ahead of their own.
“Every year our inspirational emergency services volunteers give up their time across the State – and many could not do this without the support of their employers.
“With this summer bushfire period shaping up to be even more challenging we will again be seeking the support of local businesses to help keep Western Australian communities safe.”
2024 VERA Distinctions
Shire of Mundaring
Shire of Narrogin
2024 VERA recipients
| DFES region | Business Name |
| Goldfields-Midlands | Good Sammy Northam |
| WesTrac – Apprentice Department | |
| Great Southern | Hitchcock Panel Beaters |
| South East Fire and Safety | |
| South Regional TAFE | |
| WA Country Health Service | |
| Kimberley | Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage – Kununurra Regional Office |
| Lower South West | BHP Emergency Services |
| Bothe Building Contractors | |
| Bunnings Busselton | |
| Burger Baby | |
| Hales Contracting Group | |
| MackBuild | |
| PathWest | |
| Rhodes Pastoral | |
| Shire of Augusta Margaret River | |
| Shire of Donnybrook Balingup | |
| Warren Valley Farm | |
| Metro North Coastal | Aries Rail |
| Celtic Construction | |
| Department of Water and Environmental Regulation | |
| Shire of Mundaring | |
| Water Corporation – Integrated Operations | |
| Metro North East | Delta Corporation |
| Europa Saddlery | |
| GTS Gauges Transmitters Switches | |
| Marshall Michael Chartered Accountants | |
| McNamara Greig | |
| Ray White Bullsbrook | |
| SMK Automotive | |
| Metro South Coastal | Accenture Australia |
| ASC | |
| Brightwater Care Group – Oats Street | |
| City of Rockingham | |
| Concise Business Management | |
| Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development | |
| Engineering Design Services | |
| Hitachi Zosen Inova – East Rockingham Waste to Energy | |
| Lance Mechanics | |
| Osinski Finance | |
| Tianqi Lithium Australia | |
| Turfcare WA | |
| Metro South East | AES Equipment Solutions |
| Auscor Canningvale | |
| CDI Group | |
| Curtin University – Faculty of Science and Engineering | |
| Department of Local Government Sport and Cultural Industries – Recreation Camps | |
| John Sample Group | |
| John Wollaston Anglican Community School | |
| OMNI GeoX | |
| Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale | |
| Water Corporation – Bushfire Mitigation | |
| Mid West-Gascoyne | Abrolhos Steel |
| Brian Child Plumbing | |
| Cummins Geraldton | |
| Lobster Shack | |
| Shire of Carnarvon | |
| Water Corporation – Moora Depot | |
| Western Australia Police – Mid West-Gascoyne Region | |
| Pilbara | AUS Logistics Solutions |
| Baler Primary School | |
| DML Contracting | |
| Karratha Primary School | |
| Pilbara Palms Maintenance | |
| Pilbara Ports | |
| Programmed | |
| Rio Tinto – Cape Lambert | |
| Rio Tinto Rail Network Maintenance | |
| Roebourne District High School | |
| Sims Metal | |
| South West | Albemarle |
| Big W Mandurah | |
| BMB Diesel | |
| Bunbury Fibreglass | |
| Cleanaway Worsley | |
| John Higgins Lawn Mowing | |
| Stantil Engineering | |
| Talison Lithium | |
| Water Corporation – Southern Seawater Desalination Plant | |
| Upper Great Southern | Rocket Engineering |
| Little Farm Eggs | |
| Shire of Narrogin |
