Emergency Services Medal (Australia)

Infobox Military Award
name=Emergency Services Medal


caption=Obverse of medal and ribbon
awarded_by=Australia
type= Medal
eligibility= members of Australian emergency services
for= distinguished service
status= Currently awarded
description=
clasps=
established=7 July1999
first_award=
last_award=
total= 118 at 30 June2006
posthumous=
recipients=
individual=
higher= Ambulance Service Medal (ASM)
same=
lower= Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)


caption2=

The Emergency Services Medal (ESM) is awarded for distinguished service by a member of an Australian emergency service, and people who are involved in emergency management, training or education.The medal was introduced in 1999, and recipients are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "ESM".

Awards are made by the Governor-General, on the nomination of the responsible minister in each state or territory, and at the federal level. The total number of awards made each year must not exceed the following quota:
** One medal for every 1000 full-time members, or part of 1000, full-time members of the emergency service (or combined emergency services) of each state.
** One medal for every 5000, or part of 5000 part-time, volunteer or auxiliary members of the emergency service (or combined emergency services).
** One medal may be awarded in each of the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory and the combined External Territories.

Description

* The central motif on the obverse of the Emergency Services Medal is a raised equilateral triangle with beveled edges. This is bordered by stylised sprays of wattle. The centre of the triangle features a raised impression of the Federation Star that is surrounded by twenty-four balls. The balls represent the twenty-four hours per day the Emergency Service is available to the community.
* The reverse has the inscription ‘For Distinguished Service’.
* The medal has silver and bronze colouring.
* The 32 millimetre-wide ribbon features a centre band of an orange and white checkerboard pattern, flanked on each outer edge by a royal blue band. .

References

* [http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/awards/medals/emergency_service_medal.cfm It's an Honour] Australian Government website