Harvey Black named a finalist in Rotary NSW Emergency Services Community Awards

Relocating snakes, rescuing hikers from precarious positions, and attending the scene of a car accident where you’re likely to know the victim are not appealing job opportunities for the vast majority in any population.

However, there are generous and skilled members of our community who do these challenging tasks for free.

In fact, Narrabri Volunteer Rescue Association squad captain Harvey Black and the town’s VRA team have been doing them for more than 47 years.

Mr Black’s commitment has been recently recognised; with the announcement he is a finalist in the Rotary NSW Emergency Services Community Awards.

“I don’t know who nominated me, but I’m very pleased with the fact they decided to choose an old dinosaur like me,” said Mr Black.

“I joined the VRA when the Narrabri squad was formed in May 1975, and I joined the VRA State Executive 18 months later.

“I was the youngest on the state executive when I joined, and now I’m the oldest,” he added.

Like all VRA members scattered across NSW giving their time and talents, Mr Black doesn’t do it for the accolades but said being acknowledged by Rotary does have special meaning.

“We formed a rescue squad because the town needed it, and we’re in the rescue squad today because the town needs it. We’re here because the community needs us, and Rotary has offered its support to the VRA since the very beginning,” said Mr Black.

In 1977, Rotary Club of Narrabri members presented the unit with its first Volunteer Rescue Squad vehicle, a repaired and painted dual cab Dodge truck.

“We really appreciated it and everything we got because you had to man gates at events, trim trees, chop wood and hold raffles. You see, with minimal state government funding we required a huge amount of community input for resources such as critical vehicles or things like hydraulic cutting shears and spreaders used to release people who are trapped, out of cars or whatever.”

VRA Rescue NSW, as it is now known, is made up of specialist operators working for communities in more than 50 locations across NSW. Members are primary responders for road crash rescue, general land rescue, vertical rescue, animal rescues, industrial and domestic rescues and just about any type of specialist rescue encountered by emergency service personnel.

The VRA is quickly on scene and often the last to leave, responding to local emergencies at a moment’s notice. The army of unpaid professionals are accredited by the Minister for Emergency Services, through the State Rescue Board, as rescue operators in their designated field, following extensive training.

For close to half a century, Mr Black has fulfilled the VRA motto: A helping hand, anywhere, anytime.

The role has seen him saddled with the nickname ‘snake whisperer’.

And along with his dedicated squad, Mr Black has attended accidents of friends and colleagues, held and comforted a dying man, provided lighting for emergency crews at the scene of horrific road incidents, performed first aid at the Narrabri Show, rescued hikers at Mount Kaputar and helped to save countless lives and minimise suffering.

The friendships Mr Black has made along the way are what he says help VRA members like him get through the tough days.

“I think there’s a huge camaraderie within the squad.”

Mr Black said the good mates by your side and appreciation letters from victims and their families are what inspires VRA members to keep going, strive to make a difference and still volunteer the day after a confronting call-out.

“When someone writes to you and says thank you, it really does mean a lot,” he said.

The veteran VRA captain recalled a terrible car accident in which a woman tragically lost her husband and three children.

“She wrote to thank the VRA for its help and donated $1000; that was the 1970s and it was a big donation – it meant a great deal. We purchased additional flood lighting with her donation.”

As well as serving the Narrabri community, Mr Black has been elected into roles at a state level with the VRA including as Regional Coordinator, Vice President, Deputy Commissioner, Director of Training, Director of Operations for country areas, chairman of several committees, VRA representative on the State Rescue Board’s Training Advisory Panel and Policy Advisory Committee of the State Rescue Board. With squads from Tweed Heads, out to Norfolk Island, down to Bega and west to Balranald, in his role as Director of Training he was on the road pretty continuously for over 21 years, but still involved with his local squad whenever able. He was also a member of the Namoi Air Patrol and the NSW Cave Rescue Squad.

The wealth of experience, skills and knowledge Mr Black has acquired over decades of service makes him a wonderful mentor for any aspiring VRA members.

“The best reason why people should join the VRA squad is because we, and the Narrabri community, need them,” said Mr Black.

“We need more members at present.

“My advice is to not worry if you know absolutely nothing about rescue because over the years, we have had all sorts of people who have been great members, and we can teach new people everything they need to know.

“Yes, there is a commitment, and every Thursday night is a training night, but members can’t get to everything, and we attend when we can.

“Be assured you will get a huge amount of satisfaction out of what you do and who you work with in the squad.”