- Who this page is for: nominators, supervisors, peers, and community members.
- Focus: ACT-based contributions that demonstrate Service Above Self.
Ready to nominate? You can start your nomination any time.
We recognise outstanding emergency services personnel serving the ACT community. Categories are reviewed annually to reflect the sector. Current categories include:
- Volunteer of the Year: A volunteer who consistently goes above and beyond, exemplifying Service Above Self.
- Paid Officer of the Year: A salaried member whose professionalism and initiative deliver exceptional outcomes.
.
Who can be nominated:
- Current members of ACT emergency services, including volunteers and career staff.
- Individuals whose contribution primarily benefits the ACT community.
Service period: Achievements may be from the past 24 months, with consideration for sustained service over a longer period.
Location: Work must be based in or have significant impact within the ACT.
Exclusions: Self-nominations are not accepted.
- A Winner of these Awards previously as a Volunteer of the Year and/or Officer in Paid Capacity is ineligible to be nominated.
- A Finalist in these Awards, is ineligible to be nominated again within a period of 5 years.
- A Nominee not selected as a finalist can be nominated again in the following year.
Make your case clear and evidence-based.
- Impact: Describe the need or challenge, what the nominee did, and the measurable difference made.
- Community benefit: Explain who benefited (e.g., residents, vulnerable groups) and how.
- Leadership & collaboration: Provide examples of teamwork, initiative, and stakeholder engagement.
- Integrity & safety: Note ethical conduct, professionalism, and commitment to safety.
Nominations are assessed by an independent panel. Shortlisted nominees may have details verified with referees and agencies.
- Service Above Self: Consistent willingness to serve beyond role expectations.
- Community Impact: Tangible outcomes for ACT communities; scale and sustainability of benefits.
- Leadership: Initiative, role modelling, and ability to inspire confidence.
- Collaboration: Effective teamwork across units, agencies, or with community partners.
- Integrity & Professionalism: Ethical conduct, safety focus, reliability, and respect.
Panels use a balanced scoring approach across these pillars to determine finalists and recipients.
Timeline at a glance:
- Nominations open: Submit online via the Nomination site.
- Nominations close: Submissions are reviewed for eligibility.
- Shortlisting & verification: Referee checks and agency confirmations.
- Final judging: Panel assesses against the published criteria.
- Finalists announced: All nominators and nominees are notified.
- Awards ceremony: Recipients revealed at the event.
Exact dates are confirmed on the Home page when the cycle opens.
- Privacy: We collect nomination details to administer the awards. Information may be shared with the judging panel and relevant agencies solely for verification.
- Publicity: Finalists’ names, photos, agencies, and summaries may be published. We’ll seek permission for any sensitive details.
- Verification: We contact agencies to confirm facts. Submissions that cannot be verified may be deemed ineligible.
- Fair process: Conflicts of interest are managed; judges’ decisions are final.
- Updates: Criteria and dates may change each year.
Questions or accessibility needs? We’re here to help.