THE ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY OF AUSTRALASIA
ANNUAL BRAVERY AWARDS PRESENTATION

Six people of South Australia will be presented with bravery awards of The Royal Humane Society of Australasia

The Society awards – 6 Bronze Medals will be presented by Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia

To Receive the Bronze Medal on Wednesday 12 April 2023 at 11.00am

1. PETER IKONOMOPOULOS,
Aged 37 years, SA CFS Regional Officer, of Port Augusta, SA

2. ROSCO HAUSTORFER
Aged 60 years, SA CFS Terowie Brigade Captain, of Terowie, SA

3. ANT WILLIAMS
Aged 53 years, SA CFS Firefighter, of West Lakes, SA

4. TIM COOPER
Aged 70 years, SA CFS Senior Firefighter, of Jamestown, SA

5. DUDLEY DAGG
Aged 80 years, SA CFS Ernabella Brigade Captain, Alice Springs, NT

To Receive the Bronze Medal on Thursday 13 April 2023 at 11.00am

6. NICOLI ACKLAND
Aged 52 years, SA CFS Staff Officer, of Kingscote, SA

(In going to the rescue of approximately 400 people from the remote indigenous community in Ernabella, Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, SA, on 22 September 2017)

Mr Ikonompoulos was in the APY Lands to deliver firefighting training with a group of CFS trainers when a large and unexpected fire impacted Ernabella. The conditions were difficult and dangerous due to dry and windy 50kmh north to north westerly winds which rapidly intensified the fire.

Mr Ikonomopoulos took control of the incident to evacuate residents of the community to the football oval as the fire had quickly impacted the local aged care facility. Mr Ikonomopoulos was almost engulfed by the rapidly increasing and intense fire as he tried to protect the aged care facility by backburning to create a barrier.

To ensure the safety of the people in the community Mr Ikonomopoulos, Mrs Ackland, Mr Haustorfer, Mr Williams, Mr Cooper and Mr Dagg evacuated homes in Hidden Valley (a housing area development) and commenced asset protection as the fire was now on the fence line of properties. They made sure that all the community was safely evacuated to the oval.

They worked throughout the night until 2.30am, under extreme conditions and suffering from physical and mental exhaustion to protect the community from the fire by engaging in asset protection and back burning. Mr Dagg suffered heat exhaustion and collapsed whilst trying to protect the aged care facility.

The fire burnt over 100,000 hectares of land in the APY Lands.