I wish to advise that Lex de Man will be moving on from CFA, with his last day of service on the 30th October.
Lex has made a significant contribution to CFA since becoming a member in 1977 as a volunteer firefighter. Over the journey Lex has come into contact – if not worked closely – with thousands of our members.
Of late throughout a very challenging period following the closure of the Fiskville Training College, Lex has provided a steady hand and strong leadership to the transition program he heads up presently.
Prior to this, Lex was the Executive Director Operational Training and Volunteerism and instrumental in determining training policy and practice for our members. As ED OT&V he worked to lift the profile of operational training within CFA, while building programs to improve the experience of volunteers. Milestone achievements from this time include the development of the Volunteerism Strategy (2015) and F&EM Training Strategy (2012); also the consolidation of CFA’s training campuses under a central management arrangement.
Working back from this, Lex held the positions of General or Area Manager across three former Areas: Yarra (2006 to 2010); Outer Metro Norwest (2001-2006), and Barwon/Corangamite (1995 to 2001). In those roles Lex was responsible for the replacement and enhancement of a significant number of brigade facilities for the betterment of volunteers, staff and communities.
Lex is no stranger to the heartbreaks that have impacted on our service and membership over the years. Following the 1998 tragedy at Linton involving five Geelong West members Lex provided a high calibre of leadership to the Barwon/Corangamite Area.
Fittingly, in 2011, Lex was awarded the AFSM in recognition of his leadership and support of the members in District 13 during and after the fires of February 2009. It should also be remembered that Lex provided evidence to the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission on matters relating to volunteerism and training – this has had a lasting impact.
After many years of service as both a volunteer and an employee, Lex is recognised for his ‘people first’ approach, capacity to lead by example and ability to bring out the best from others. He has been a tireless advocate for volunteerism and has helped foster an ethos of continuous learning across the organisation.
A farewell afternoon tea for Lex will be held in the Boardroom on 28 October, 3pm. Please confirm your attendance with Noemi Rostas: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
On behalf of the ELT and the Board, I thank Lex for his service and wish him well for the future.
Author: Michael Wootten