17 FEBRUARY 2022
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Edition #370
WEST AUSTRALIAN MEDAL OF HONOUR RECIPIENT GRATEFUL FOR FAMILY SUPPORT
Brian Landers AFSM OAM, already a recipient of six medals has been awarded with a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division for dedication and service to the Department of Fire and Emergency Services Western Australia and St John Ambulance Kalgoorlie. PHOTO: SUPPLIED.
By Amanda Murthy
Kalgoorlie-Boulder parishioner Brian Peter Landers AFSM OAM is one of 86 recipients from Western Australia to be awarded with a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division for dedication and service to the Department of Fire and Emergency Services Western Australia and St John Ambulance Kalgoorlie. T h e G ove r n o r- G e n e r a l a n d C h a n cell o r of t h e O rd er of Australia, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) in January announced
732 awards in the Australia Day 2022 Honours List which recognise outstanding and inspirational Australians. 2022 marks the highest ever percentage of women recipients (47 per cent) and 45 per cent are for service to local communities. The Honourable Kim Beazley AC, Governor of Western Australia is scheduled to formally invest Western Australian recipients with the insignia of their appointments and awards at an Investiture Ceremony in April. Mr Landers who was born and bred in Kalgoorlie, (and still living there) said that coming from a large family, and his faith upbringing naturally drew him to ‘lend a hand’, wherever
he saw the opportunity to. “I am the fifth of 14 children and so naturally, my siblings and I have always helped my parents take care of the home affairs and of one another,” Mr Landers said. “I studied at St Mary’s Primary School, then completed my tertiary years at the Christian Brothers College. I attended St Mary’s Church all my life and have been an acolyte for 41 years. I think all these experiences helped shape me, and it helped me recognise the importance of serving the community in need.” A ‘jack-of-all-trades’, Mr Landers career path led him to take up roles of various fields, from a Baker Apprentice, a Filter Assistant in an oil and gas company, to truck driving before finding his true calling with the Western Australian Fire Brigades Board for 45 years. “I had met a few firemen that were doing part time driving trucks, and they encouraged me to apply – I remember that once I got the job, I had to go to Perth to do the training. This worked out to be the best job,” Mr Landers explained. “My involvement with St John Ambulance Brigade started because I wanted to upskill and be prepared as a firefighter if I had to attend to an emergency call. Having these skills also helped when we attended traffic accidents and other jobs.” The father of six and husband to Faye Landers says that he was ‘lost for words’ when he received the news of his medal, adding that Faye deserves all the credit for her support and equal involvement in volunteer work. Full Text available at
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