West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service celebrated the bravery, dedication and outstanding achievements of its firefighters and staff at its annual Recognition and Achievement Awards Ceremony, held at the historic Arundel Castle on Wednesday 4 November.
The special evening brought together colleagues and distinguished guests to recognise exceptional acts of courage, years of dedicated service and the remarkable contributions made by individuals and teams who work tirelessly to keep communities across West Sussex safe.
The ceremony recognised colleagues who have completed 20, 30, 40 and 50 years of service, while also celebrating outstanding individual and team achievements during the past year.
Joining long-service award recipients and award winners at the ceremony were the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of West Sussex, Mr John Barclay, the High Sheriff of West Sussex, Mr Gary Shipton, West Sussex County Council's Chief Executive, Leigh Whitehouse, and West Sussex County Council's Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue, Councillor Tracie Bangert.
Award Winners
Among the evening's award winners was Sean Embleton, who received the Career and Lifetime Achievement Award. After joining as an on-call firefighter at Bognor Regis in 1999, Sean secured a wholetime role in 2005 and became a highly respected and dependable member of the station team. Throughout his career, he has played a key role in developing and mentoring both wholetime and on-call firefighters. Before his retirement this summer, Sean served as a Training Instructor, which allowed him to continue to support and inspire the next generation of firefighters.
The Bravery Award was presented to Roy Barraclough for his actions while travelling home from work following a serious incident on the A27. After reports of a man in crisis on a footbridge, Roy stopped to provide assistance and worked alongside a Sussex Police officer to engage with and reassure the individual. Through his calm, compassionate and professional approach, and in partnership with emergency service colleagues, Roy helped ensure the casualty received the urgent medical care and support needed to achieve a positive outcome.
The Team of the Year Award was presented to Worthing White Watch and the on-call crew in recognition of their response to a serious house fire on New Year's Day. Faced with a rapidly escalating incident, crews rescued several people from the property, provided emergency first aid, and worked effectively to bring the fire under control. Their actions prevented the fire from spreading to neighbouring properties and helped save a life.
Words From Leaders
Councillor Tracie Bangert, Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue, said:
The awards ceremony provides an opportunity to recognise the extraordinary people behind our fire and rescue service. From acts of exceptional bravery to decades of dedicated public service, the stories shared this evening highlight the professionalism, care and commitment that our communities rely on every day.
Congratulations to all those recognised. Their achievements reflect the values of the service and the difference they make to the lives of residents across West Sussex.
Chief Fire Officer Gary Ball said:
Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and these awards are an opportunity to recognise the dedication, courage and professionalism they show every day.
Whether responding to emergencies, supporting vulnerable residents, training future firefighters or working behind the scenes, every person recognised this evening has made a significant contribution to our service and our communities. I am incredibly proud of their achievements and grateful for their continued commitment to keeping West Sussex safe.
Full List of Recipients
Long Service and Good Conduct Medals and Badges
20 years' service
Liam Clarke
Daniel Cox
David Cumins
Jonathan Fox
Jason Grubb
Scott Hainsworth
Russell Lang
Adam Mayes
Daniel Moon
Lee Penfold
Gareth Peel
Simon Phillimore
Lyndsay Pink
Stephen Redman
Peter Sealey
Carmine Simac
Mark Turner
30 years' service
Daniel Flynn
Robin Munday
Lee Newman
Giles Sparkes
40 years' service
Simon Rowles
50 years' service
Carol Hart
Commendation Awards
Sean Embleton (Career/Lifetime Achievement Award)
Andrew Buddle (Shining Star)
Julia Graham (Shining Star)
Gavin McCourty (Shining Star)
Worthing White Watch and On-Call Unit (Team of the Year)
Ben Applin (The Community and Partnership Award)
Mark Checketts (Charity Champion)
Natalia Cao Simetic (Volunteer of the Year)
Lee Aggett (Exceptional Service)
Roy Barraclough (Bravery)
