Volunteers honoured for their service at Australia Day Awards in Townsville

A Townsville SES volunteer, inspired to join after the devastating 2019 floods, is now a key figure in the city’s disaster preparation efforts. Here’s why he’s being honoured along with other emergency heroes this Australia Day.

SES volunteer Ian MacMenigall was awarded a Certificate of Achievement at the Australia Day Awards in Townsville for his service to the community. Picture: Natasha Emeck

Ian MacMenigall vividly remembers watching SES teams work tirelessly to help Townsville recover from the devastating 2019 floods.

At the time, he felt a deep regret for not being able to do more.

Fast-forward to 2025 and Mr MacMenigall has been honoured for his vital contributions to ensuring SES volunteers are better prepared when disasters strike again.

He was among 17 dedicated emergency volunteers who recently received an Australia Day Achievement Award for their outstanding efforts.

It was Mr MacMenigall’s work in optimising SES incident management training that earned him the nod.

By incorporating innovative technology, he has helped streamline SES response times and efficiency, ensuring teams can act quickly and effectively in emergencies where every second matters.

Townsville Floods 2019. A tinnie punts down Carr Street, Hermit Park. Picture: Evan Morgan

The 2019 floods left a profound mark on Mr MacMenigall, inspiring him to join the SES, affectionately known as the “Orange Army,” in 2020.

“During the floods, I watched all the SES teams going around, but I wasn’t part of anything at that time, and I felt like I needed to help,” he said.

He initially helped friends clean out homes and joined the Mud Army, but soon realised he wanted to make a broader impact.

“I realised I also really wanted to help my wider community, which is why I joined the State Emergency Service,” he explained.

Household debris still piled in on the side of the road in Hermit Park following the devastating 2019 Townsville floods. Picture: Evan Morgan

As a volunteer, Mr MacMenigall worked alongside Paul Cannon to develop an innovative incident management system that has enhanced the preparation of SES teams for emergencies.

“So we train in mock scenarios and I help support with that,” he said.

The training replicates disaster situations with made-up data, allowing volunteers to practise co-ordinating logistics, managing volunteers, and working with other agencies.

“That way when a disaster strikes, our teams have already run through similar scenarios. It’s just about adapting to the date, time, and specifics of the situation,” he added.

Despite a demanding job with Boeing Defence Australia, Mr MacMenigall says he’s happy to dedicate his Wednesday nights to SES training as all their volunteers do.

“It’s great to give back, and I definitely wasn’t expecting the award. I just like being part of the team and helping them and others,” he said.

At the Australia Day Awards, 22 rural fire service volunteers also received the National Emergency Medal for their service during the 2019-2020 bushfire crisis.

Originally published as Volunteers honoured for their service at Australia Day Awards in Townsville