On Friday, May 16th, the Global Search and Rescue Excellence Awards were held in Westminster.
Organised by FIRE Magazine and the Institute of Search and Technical Rescue, the Global Search and Rescue Excellence Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of search and rescue teams, volunteers, organisations and suppliers who work tirelessly to provide disaster response.
Over 100 nominations from 20 different countries were received and the event celebrated individuals and teams from around the world who have shown unstinting dedication to the search and rescue community.
Attending and representing Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) were Deputy Chief Fire Officer Iwan Cray, Group Manager Steve Davies and Group Manager Stuart Bate. GM Steve Davies was shortlisted in the Supporter of the Year category for his operational input throughout his International Search and Rescue (ISAR) career. Joining UK ISAR in 2008, Steve has been an integral part of the team for the last 17 years.
GM Davies is the Team Leader and Coordinator for MAWWFRS’s ISAR capability, and he has demonstrated unwavering commitment throughout his career.
Speaking on GM Steve Davies’ nomination, GM Stuart Bate said:
“Steve is a very respected member of the UK ISAR Team, he is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable members of the team, and one of the few who can be deployed as an overall team leader internationally.
He has proudly promoted the work of UK ISAR at international, national and local levels and has rightly been recognised by his peers at today’s event.”
During Steve’s career, he has been deployed to assist in search and rescue operations following devastating earthquakes in Morocco (September 2023), Turkey (February 2023) and Japan (March 2011). He has also supported various training exercises across the world, including Singapore, Switzerland, Kenya and Germany.
While Steve did not win in his category, he was recognised with the wider UK ISAR Team, who won the Team of the Year Award.