Feb2015_RURAL FIRE BRIGADE VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR FOR QUEENSLAND 2014.

MS LEE TAPPER

Secretary and Operational Firefighter with Dayboro and District Rural Fire Brigade

And Volunteer Community Educator for Queensland Rural Fire Service.

I thought it was very special when I was nominated for, and received, the award for Rural Fire Brigade Volunteer of the Year 2014 for the Caboolture Group of Rural Fire Brigades so I can’t begin to tell you how Lee Tapper felt when she was nominated for, and received, the award for Rural Fire Brigade Volunteer of the Year 2014 for the whole of Queensland. 

When advised, I think Lee nearly passed out on the spot.  Lee is a very worthy recipient of this award, especially with the amount of time and effort she applies to her job, not only as the DDRFB Secretary and operational firefighter, but to her Volunteer Community Educator duties as well. As a VCE, Lee travels all over the district to give talks to anyone and everyone about rural and urban fire safety and provides static displays at school fetes, district agricultural shows – and just about anywhere that she sees a gathering of people.

Lee joined the Rural Fire Service initially with Ocean View Rural Fire Brigade on 19 October 2001, when she and her family lived in that district, but transferred to DDRFB on 11 October 2003, when she moved down the mountain to live. Lee fitted into our brigade like a hand into an old glove, and was warmly welcomed.  She has worked alongside some of the toughest men in our group and has given them valuable support over the years.

At a meeting convened in February 2012, after our previous Secretary left for greener pastures, Lee put her hand up, although not convincingly, and took on the Secretary’s role. She was very nervous about her new duties to begin with, but has since taken to it like a duck to water.  She needn’t have worried as Alwyn Weston (DDRFB Secretary from 1980 to 2011) was always available for expert advice if required.

She and her partner, Selwyn Barr, often provide their machinery (and their know-how) to support our brigade when we are called out to a bush/grassfire to clear a fire break or just to supply a very manoeuvrable extra "fire appliance" (4WD tractor).  When she has nothing better to do, she runs the family home, tends to all the jobs on their farm (while Sel is away working), and supervises the accommodation, transfers and well-being of foreign students who travel to the south-east corner of Queensland.

I, along with Sel, family members and friends, attended the award function at the QFES complex at Kedron Park where Lee was presented with her framed certificate by the then-Commissioner of QFES, Lee Johnson.  Once our Lee took the stage, she must have thanked every person she has ever met during her acceptance speech – all the senior QFES officers were amazed that she knew so many people.  It was a very emotional time for Lee – a time she will never forget in a hurry.

On behalf of all brigade members, I would like to thank Lee for all the hard work she provides to her duties, to our brigade and to the community at large.  Congratulations and well done, Lee.

Glenn Bell 

Chairman, DDRFB.