Powerful image of joint response to Gingin road crash a finalist in Resilient Australia Awards

This powerful photograph of emergency services responding to a road crash in Gingin is in the running for a top national prize.

The image, named We Work Together As One, was voted the WA winner in the Resilient Australia Awards. It was taken by Gingin Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service member Nikki Woods.

The WA accolade means the image is a finalist in the people’s choice category at the national awards in Canberra on November 20.

The picture shows the joint response from firefighters, police, paramedics and the RAC Rescue helicopter, all in one frame.

It’s the 25th year of the Resilient Australia Awards, which recognise the efforts of people, organisations, governments and schools who are developing programs and initiatives to help communities better prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters.

The awards are sponsored by the Australian Government in partnership with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and managed by the Australian Institute of Disaster Resilience.

Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said Ms Woods’ stirring image captured resilience in action and was a celebration of the teamwork and unwavering commitment of WA’s first responders.

“WA has experienced a number of serious weather events, such as cyclones, floods and bushfires in recent years which highlights the importance of disaster resilience,” he said.

“Through climate change, these types of events could become more frequent and so it’s critical that we continue to think outside the box about how we can help communities be better prepared and recover effectively.

“Individuals, businesses and government all have a role to play in building resilience and it is great to see some outstanding WA initiatives recognised for their work in this space.”