A long-serving Gosnells SES volunteer has been recognised with a prestigious Emergency Services Medal as part of the 2026 Australia Day Honours List.
Mark Geary has volunteered with the Gosnells State Emergency Service for almost 28 years, responding to disasters across Western Australia and interstate and supporting communities during some of their most difficult moments.
Speaking with the Examiner, Mr Geary said his long commitment to the SES came down to enjoyment and the chance to help people when they needed it most.
“It’s fun. I enjoy the idea of helping people,” he said. “When people need some help, that’s certainly important, and I still enjoy doing it. It’s fun. I enjoy looking back.”
Mr Geary joined the SES in his early 20s and quickly became involved in major emergency responses. One of his earliest deployments was during the 1999 Moora floods, where he helped evacuate dozens of residents from inundated homes. He later assisted during the 2010 Victorian hail emergency and numerous storm, rescue and search operations over the years.
More recently, his deployment following Tropical Cyclone Seroja stood out as one of the most confronting experiences of his service.
“Certainly Tropical Cyclone Seroja,” he said. “Arriving at a town that was completely obliterated, that most definitely has been a significant and more telling circumstance.”
Following the cyclone, Mr Geary was deployed to Northampton, where he served as team leader for the storm damage crew. He was responsible for assessing widespread destruction, coordinating response efforts and mentoring volunteers, many of whom were attending their first major disaster.
He added that even the smaller callouts carried the same importance.
“Even the little jobs at the end of the day, turning up to somebody’s house because a storm has blown off their roof, or someone has gone missing in the bush, that person at that time needs help. That’s the most important part,” he said.
Beyond frontline response work, Mr Geary has dedicated significant personal time to training regional SES volunteers. His training covers storm damage operations, roof safety, land search, urban search and rescue, on-road driving and general rescue skills.
Mr Geary said he was initially surprised when he learned he would receive the Emergency Services Medal.
“Certainly surprised about receiving it initially,” he said. “When I looked back afterwards at some of the people who have received it in the past, and how few people have received it, that led to a bit of gratitude and pride as well.”
While reflecting on his nearly three decades with the SES, Mr Geary encouraged others to consider volunteering.
“Definitely have a go,” he said. “There’s a role for everybody. You’ll get almost instantaneous gratification from it, whether you want to help people or you just need something in your life.”
He said the sense of community was a major reason many volunteers stayed long term.
“Most people hang around because they want to help people, and then they stay because they’ve made friends, in many cases lifelong friends,” he said. “It becomes enjoyable to keep helping out. I think that’s the journey I’ve gone through over the years.”
The Gosnells SES is currently recruiting new volunteers.
