Bushfires NT senior fire management officer George Wilson recognised for Thank a First Responder Day

When a 30-year-old Bushfires NT senior fire management officer was deployed to bushfire-stricken Victoria earlier this year, suppressing the blaze and supporting those affected were his main priorities. Read his story.

When 30-year-old George Wilson was deployed to bushfire-stricken Victoria earlier this year, suppressing the blaze and supporting those affected were his main priorities. Picture: Thomas McLean

When 30-year-old George Wilson was deployed to bushfire-stricken Victoria earlier this year, suppressing the blaze and supporting those affected were his main priorities.

He was sent there along with two of his colleagues from the Northern Territory Fire and Emergency Services after the Victorian government formally requested assistance from all jurisdictions.

The devastating bushfires burned for about three weeks, engulfing nearly 76,000 hectares in the Grampians and 95,000 hectares in Little Desert.

“It was unreal,” said Mr Wilson, a senior fire management officer with Bushfires NT.

The trip was also a personal one for Victorian-born Mr Wilson, who had found himself now working alongside the same people who mentored him when he started in the emergency response field a decade ago.

Mr Wilson said he enjoyed going back to Victoria and lending a hand. Picture: Thomas McLean

“It was a cool experience to go back … that’s where I learnt,” he said.

After a couple of seasonal stints in the Territory where helped with the dry season fires, Mr Wilson decided in May 2024 that he’d permanently move to Katherine,

“Being a little bit more rural is always nice because I grew up in the city, so, it’s nice to get away from that,” he said, speaking on why he chose to live in Katherine.

“The people here are so friendly, and it’s so easy to make friends; it took me maybe only 15 minutes to feel at home.”

It was this time spent in the Territory, he says, that put him in a good position when he was down in Victoria.

“You get exposed to so much up here that it becomes almost second nature; it’s almost business as usual,” said Mr Wilson, who was responsible for developing a raft of plans for his colleagues on the ground during his deployment.

Mr Wilson said he gained a lot of experience in the Territory. Picture: Thomas McLean

“I think the confidence to make decisions also definitely helped; I know what it’s like to second guess myself, so being able to support them was important.

“I’ve gained a lot of experience and learnt a lot from being up here.”

First responders such as Mr Wilson have been celebrated on Thank a First Responder Day, a national day of recognition that aims to celebrate the dedication of first responders across the community.

“It’s definitely nice for people to get recognised; all the first responders from the different agencies have sacrificed time away from their friends and family for serious work,” he said.

“I don’t want to talk for all first responders, but I would say that we’re all wanting to make a difference and we’re wanting to make the community a safer place.

“We want to help people, so it’s definitely nice that people do appreciate us.”

Originally published as Bushfires NT senior fire management officer George Wilson recognised for Thank a First Responder Day