2024 WAFES Awards

1. Definitions

"BGU” means brigade, group or unit

“Event” means the Western Australian Fire and Emergency Services Awards program including the gala dinner which will take place on Saturday 7 September 2024.

“Nominations Closing Date” means 9.00am WST on Monday 8 April 2024 or as amended by the Organiser. 

“Organiser” means Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).

“Western Australian emergency services volunteer” means a registered volunteer of a volunteer service approved by or established under the emergency services Acts.

2. Nominations

• Nominations can be submitted by a Western Australian emergency services volunteer, DFES staff member or a member of the community.  
• Nominations must be submitted through the online nomination system on dfes.wa.gov.au/wafesawards by the Nominations Closing Date.
• The Organiser reserves the right to amend the Nominations Closing Date at any time.
• All sections of the online nomination must be completed.
• Nominations must address the relevant award criteria with a minimum word limit of 300 words and a maximum of 1000 words.
• Nominators may seek assistance from the relevant BGU, volunteer association, or DFES staff member in developing their nomination and submitting it online.
• At least one example must be included from a project or incident which occurred after the 31 March 2023
• Self-nomination in an individual or youth award is not accepted.
• By accepting a nomination, all nominees, finalists and winners agree for their photographs, profiles, video footage and other details to be used for promotional purposes by DFES and the Government of Western Australia.
• A nomination is not considered submitted, and therefore not eligible for further consideration, until a successful nomination email from the Awards Force online nomination system is issued.
• Once nominations are submitted, all staff and volunteers will be subject to further endorsement by DFES Corporate Executive and Professional Standards. The Organiser may refuse to proceed with a nomination at any time where a nominee is under investigation or has unresolved issues with DFES, local government authority or another government agency.

3. Eligibility

• Nominees must be employed by DFES, or an active DFES or Bush Fire Brigade volunteer.
• Nominees who are volunteers must have been active within the past 12 months at the time the nomination is lodged, with reasonable belief they will be in the role until March 2025.
• Staff must have been employed by DFES for a minimum of six of the previous 12 months, with reasonable belief they will continue their employment until March 2025.  
• Nominees for the Firefighting Youth Achievement Award and SES Youth Achievement Award must be between 16 to 25 years of age with their date of birth between 31 March 2007 and 1 April 1998.
• Individual nominees for the Marine Youth Achievement Award must be a cadet or volunteer between 13 to 25 years of age with their date of birth between 31 March 2010 and 1 April 1998 or a Marine Rescue group.
• The definition of a ‘group’ for the Marine Rescue Team Achievement Award is the entity as established by the legislation and not a subset of a group. Example 1: Two Rocks MR is eligible but a crew of four from Two Rocks MR is not defined as a group and therefore not eligible. In this situation the nomination is instead transferred to the Marine Rescue group. Example 2: A number of groups cannot be nominated for a single award – e.g. the South Coast MR consisting of Peaceful Bay, Denmark, Walpole and Windy Harbour MR groups are not eligible.
• Posthumous nominations are not accepted.

4. Nomination endorsement

• The nominee (or one representative from a nominated team) must review their nomination, agree to being nominated and accept the 2024 WAFES Awards terms and conditions, before the nomination progresses to judging.
• Nominations must be endorsed by the nominee’s supervisor as follows:

5. Judging

• All nominees must agree to abide by the decisions of the judging panels.
• No appeals will be considered.
• Due to the number of entries and the capacity of judging panels, no feedback will be provided on nominations submitted.

6. Finalists and Winners

• All finalists must agree to be available at their BGU or worksite between June and August 2024 to take part in filming and photography that will be used for promotional purposes.
• All winners and finalists agree to be ambassadors in promoting the WAFES Awards.

7. Gala dinner event

• Winners will be announced at a dinner Saturday 7 September 2024.
• Individual finalists will receive two complimentary invitations to attend the  dinner.
• Team finalists will receive four complimentary invitations to attend the  dinner.
• Finalists attending the dinner may be eligible for travel and accommodation entitlements, as outlined in the 2024 WAFES Conference Terms and Conditions.
• Finalists accessing travel and accommodation entitlements agree to the 2024 WAFES Conference Terms and Conditions.
• WAFES Awards judges and nominators of finalists will receive one complimentary invitation to attend the dinner.
• Nominators who are also members of the team they are nominating are not eligible for an additional complimentary invitation to attend the dinner above the four allocated to the team.
• Invitations to the dinner are not redeemable for cash and are non-transferrable unless approved by the Organiser.
• Travel and accommodation expenses will not be met for guests of finalists, judges, volunteers, nominators or other members of staff.
• Finalists and guests under 18 years of age must attend with a parent or guardian.
• Finalists and guests who register to attend the dinner and do not notify DFES of their cancellation at least two weeks prior to the event, may be charged the full cost of their ticket ($300) for non-attendance.

8. Prizes

• All volunteer finalists and winners are eligible for the following prize money:

• All individual volunteer and DFES staff winners over 18 years old are eligible to attend the 2025 AFAC Conference.
• The Organiser will manage bookings and cover costs associated with the AFAC conference, including conference fees, flights, accommodation and meals.
• Eligibility and costs of the AFAC Conference are not redeemable for cash and non-transferrable.