CFA would like to congratulate Di Dale of Gisborne Fire Brigade for receiving Macedon Ranges Citizen of the year on Australia Day 2018.
Di received this medal due to her hard work and dedication in her volunteer roles in SES and CFA. These volunteer roles also complement her career as a detective in the Victoria Police Arson & Explosives Squad, and as a peer support officer in Victoria Police.
Di has been an active volunteer firefighter with Gisborne Fire Brigade for the past 12 years. During this time, Di has been a part of the CFA Peer Program which is an initial point of contact for support and connection to other psychological support services for CFA members and their family members. This role also facilitates education programs, awareness around mental health and referrals to other services.
One of the toughest challenges during her CFA peer role was as a first responder during the 2009 fires, where she instigated the evacuation of about 200 people and their pets from Kinglake and provided support for emergency volunteers for a period of three weeks during the recovery phase.
This medal is acknowledgement of and evidence for Di’s commitment and passion to protecting and supporting the community.