Ilfracombe’s Mark Tysoe nominated for QBANK Everyday Heroes Award
A Central West Queensland Rural Fire Service officer who helped fight the Black Summer fires in New South Wales in 2019 has been recognised for his role in supporting his community in times of need.
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A Central West Queensland Rural Fire Service officer who helped fight the Black Summer fires in New South Wales in 2019, has been recognised for his role in supporting his community in times of need.
Ilfracombe’s Mark Tysoe is one of many Queenslanders who have been nominated for a QBANK Everyday Hero Award in 2023.
Now in its ninth year, the awards celebrate the exceptional achievements of people within Queensland police, fire, health, corrections, justice, and public services, including educators.
Other Central Queensland and Central West Queensland nominees include Queensland Ambulance Service officers Andrew Judd from Winton and Erin Saltmarsh from Longreach, Megan Richardson from Blackall’s Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, and Queensland Police Service offers Grant Kerlin from Yeppoon and Caleb McGrath from Calliope.
Mr Tysoe joined the Rural Fire Service in 2009 and as a first officer his role involves training the firefighters in his brigade and attending call-outs, which can range from grass fires to vehicle fires and structural fires, as well as supporting other emergency service agencies.
The 43-year-old said he was proud of the work and found it rewarding to assist his community of Ilfracombe, east of Longreach.
“I enjoy giving back and helping in times of need, not only in my community, but on deployment to assist other firefighters in their time of need,” Mr Tysoe said.
“We can be there at the worst part of someone’s life when there is a fire, and it’s so rewarding that people still get a smile on their face just to see that help has arrived.
“In the Rural Fire Service, you gain a lot of skill and knowledge and work with a great team. You get the opportunity to see places that you never thought you would be able to see when you go on deployment.”
Two of Mr Tysoe’s colleagues nominated him for a QBANK Everyday Heroes Award.
They highlighted some of his heroic efforts, including ensuring water supply to the town’s gardens during water restrictions caused by drought in 2015, and more recently, leading hazard reduction burns ahead of the upcoming fire season.
“While we were in drought conditions to keep the community spirit alive, I spent eight months of the year transporting water to people’s gardens in our town,” Mr Tysoe said.
“In this time, I used pumps from the Rural Fire Service to assist with gathering water from any little water holes to help keep the town going while we were on level four water restrictions.”
Mr Tysoe said the nominations were humbling.
“It is nice to feel appreciated for the efforts that I put in,” he said.
“It’s not something you do to get recognition, you do it because you love it.”
Mr Tysoe said another moment he felt appreciated for was when he went to New South Wales to help fight the bushfires in 2019.
“We had 120 odd firefighters go in on the aeroplane,” he said.
“When we were about to board we got a big standing ovation.”
Mr Tysoe said he was proud to serve his community and would always be there to support them.
“I can give back to the community and they can rely on me in times of need,” he said.
“This community is like a big family, when something big happens everyone comes together to help out.”
Nominations for the QBANK Everyday Heroes Awards are open until August 31.
Winners will receive $2000 deposited into a QBANK account and $2000 donated to a charity of their choice.
Finalists will be announced in September and winners will be recognised at the annual awards dinner in Brisbane on October 27.
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