We’re celebrating one of our exceptional staff members, Kathy Gosby, who was awarded the prestigious Australian Fire Service Medal in the Australia Day Honours. The AFSM is awarded for distinguished service by a member of an Australian fire service.
We’re celebrating one of our exceptional staff members, Kathy Gosby, who was awarded the prestigious Australian Fire Service Medal in the Australia Day Honours. The AFSM is awarded for distinguished service by a member of an Australian fire service.
For more than 35 years, Kathy has dedicated herself to the safety of Victorians in district, regional and state fire and emergency management roles. Commencing her distinguished career in 1988, Kathy’s service has taken her across Victoria to Horsham where she now serves as the Senior Business Analysist with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).
Kathy has also worked across the state, most recently in the Grampians Region, as Regional Agency Commander, Incident Controller and Planning Officer, and is available for deployment in these roles across the state. Kathy is relied on for her honest and open assessments of situations and trusted to provide practical solutions.
“Throughout my career in fire and emergency services, being a woman has presented a unique set of challenges. It has demanded unwavering resilience, steadfast determination and the courage to often be the sole female voice amidst my colleagues. This journey, while strewn with hurdles, has been incredibly rewarding. Receiving this esteemed award is not only a validation of my own hard work and perseverance but also a tribute to all the women who have been before me and those actively striving to leave their mark in this sector.”
In 2020, Kathy became the first woman to achieve the Level 3 incident controller accreditation within Victoria’s emergency management agencies. Kathy has led the emergency response as a Level 3 incident controller and deputy incident controller many times throughout her career.
This includes:
- The Langkoop – Edenhope – Penola Road fire which burnt nearly 7,500ha in western Victoria on New Year’s Eve 2021.
- Multiple deployments to the Tambo and Snowy Complex fires between 25 December 2019 and 8 February 2020 during the Black Summer 2019-20 bushfires.
- Managing the first response and suppression activities at the Little Desert – Desert Discovery Walk and Pumpjack Track fires in November 2020, which were the largest bushfires on Victorian public land in that year.
With extensive senior management experience, Kathy’s expertise in forest management has contributed to an understanding of the need for work to continue after a bushfire is under control to ensure personnel and other resources can be redirected to recovery and rehabilitation activities.
Kathy’s active roles during the 2022-23 Victorian floods, 2021 Yallourn Mine Flood, COVID-19 response, recovery activities following the localised tornado in Horsham in December 2020 and post-fire rehabilitation after the Great Divide bushfires in 2006-07 encapsulate her ‘all emergencies’ philosophy.
Finally, as a trailblazer and inspirational role model, Kathy continues to support other women to achieve their potential in emergency management and advocates for all staff to embrace the opportunities to develop themselves through their service in emergency roles.
“I sincerely hope that my receiving this recognition inspires young women who are contemplating a career in the emergency services. I hope that it illuminates a path for them, demonstrating that through passion, hard work, and dedication, they too can achieve excellence and make an invaluable contribution to protecting communities.
Let's continue to advocate for diversity and equality, fostering a more inclusive environment where the next generation of women can ascend to even greater heights.”
A huge congratulations to Kathy on her amazing career to date and her well-deserved recognition in receiving an Australian Fire Service Medal.
