Peter Johnstone awarded Australia Fire Service Medal

In 1990, Mr Johnstone, then captain of the local brigade, became the incident controller for a major bush and grass fire in Cowra Shire.

Under his leadership, the fire was controlled within two days and limited to just over 6,000 hectares.

In 2013, Mr Johnstone again demonstrated his firefighting prowess during the Shiel fire, a fast-moving grass and scrub fire.

As incident controller, he led efforts to extinguish the fire without any loss of structures, livestock, or lives.

The fire was contained to approximately 434 hectares and was put out by the same afternoon.

Mr Johnstone continues to respond to numerous emergency incidents across the district, offering support and leadership to volunteer members.

He is a mentor to many, dedicating his time and energy to nurturing the next generation of NSW Rural Fire Service volunteer leaders.

He also provides valuable rural advice to district management.

As group captain of the Cowra Fire Control Centre, Mr Johnstone attends Bush Fire Management Committee meetings and Senior Management Team meetings, helping manage the Canobolas Zone.

He voices volunteer concerns and shares his extensive knowledge.

His contributions include feedback on brigade station builds, vehicle placement, and infrastructure upgrades, benefiting the Cowra Local Government Area, NSWRFS, and the Canobolas Zone.

During the 2019/20 fire season, Mr Johnstone mobilised members from the Walli community to protect neighbouring districts of Chifley Lithgow and Cudgegong from the Gospers Mountain fire.

Brigade members assisted with feeding livestock on drought-stricken properties, and Mr Johnstone organised 24-hour strike teams to protect these and other nearby communities.

Peter Johnstone's dedication and leadership in fire management have earned him this well-deserved recognition with the Australian Fire Service Medal.