COLAC, VIC. — Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) stalwart, founding member and Colac Unit legend Clifford ‘Cliff’ Tann has been celebrated for his more than five decades of incredible service to his community, recently inducted as a VICSES Colac Unit Life Member and awarded a clasp signifying 55 years of service in an intimate ceremony at his beloved unit.
Volunteers, VICSES staff, family members and well-wishers were on hand for the special event on Saturday, July 4, which saw Cliff recognised as only the fourth active VICSES volunteer across the state to pass the 55-year milestone.
“Cliff has been a vital piece of the VICSES Colac Unit since the very beginning so it’s great to be able to celebrate and acknowledge his contributions in the form of Unit Life Membership,” Steve Tevelein, VICSES Colac Unit Controller said.
With service incredibly predating the advent of VICSES in 1975, Cliff has been a constant face aboard local emergency service vehicles since 1961, when he became a volunteer firefighter before joining the inaugural Yuulong Civil Defence team in February 1970.
Inspired to contribute following a tragic drowning at nearby Princetown, Cliff and his colleagues in the Yuulong area became the first rescue squad for the Otways region, providing vital on-the-ground support to local police at large-scale searches and road crash incidents.
When Civil Defence was absorbed by VICSES in 1975, Cliff quickly proved himself a key contributor to the brand-new VICSES Colac Unit, offering a shed on his personal farm as the unit’s headquarters and going above and beyond as Unit Trainer to ensure members had the skills needed to support their communities.
Cliff quickly became revered for his constant drive to better himself and his fellow volunteers, innovating rescue techniques and lending his experience and expertise to neighbouring units and regional training staff to bolster overall response further.
“This award is a worthy honour for a man who has had such a remarkable and broad impact in the community and on the way our volunteer cohort trains and responds to emergencies over more than five decades.” Steve Tevelein, VICSES Colac Unit Controller said.
As Unit Trainer, Cliff not only attended weekly Monday training sessions to support the wider volunteer cohort, but would make himself available day or night to provide additional training for those unable to attend, ensuring members were confident and always prepared for upcoming assessments or ad hoc emergencies.
Away from his training commitments, Cliff has been a pillar of consistency for his community over more than five and a half decades, often the first person to offer his support to community engagement activities or fundraising initiatives and a regular figure at requests for assistance (RFAs) in his community at all hours.
Having honed his craft in an era where volunteers undertaking high-angle rescues along the cliffs of the Great Ocean Road could be required to descend face-first with a piece of rope as a harness, Cliff now serves as a “tree of wisdom” and role model for his fellow volunteers to lean on.
His integrity and commitment to his community saw Cliff exemplify the values of VICSES well before they were officially formalised, forging a legacy of strength, capability and spirit which VICSES Colac Unit continues to build upon today.
