Recognising Everyday Heros: Royal Life Saving Commendation Awards

Each day in our communities—be it in our home, at the park, or during everyday life, emergencies happen, and ordinary people are called upon to do extraordinary things. The Royal Life Saving Commendation Awards are our way of formally recognising those acts.

What Are the Commendation Awards? The Commendation Awards are presented annually by Royal Life Saving NSW | ACT | TAS to people who have displayed outstanding initiative and expertise in applying lifesaving skills during emergencies. These acts may put them at personal risk, and almost always demonstrate empathy for others in distress.

Recipients come from two main groups:

• General public — everyday heroes who are often first on the scene.

• Emergency services personnel — Police, Ambulance, Fire & Rescue, Rural Fire Service, SES, etc.

Why They’re Important

• They acknowledge and honour bravery and compassion — qualities that often go unnoticed.

• They highlight the importance of lifesaving training: CPR, defibrillation, first aid, water safety, etc.

• They inspire others: seeing someone recognised may encourage more people to learn these skills or act with courage in critical moments.

• They reinforce that every community can benefit when people are prepared and willing to help.

Where & When You Can Nominate

These awards operate in NSW, ACT and Tasmania. While nominations are accepted all year round, specific cut-off dates apply for some locations to align with our ceremonies. For NSW, the cut-off for nominations for the 2026 Ceremony (held in February) is 14 November 2025. Be sure to get your nomination in by then if you wish it to be considered for the next NSW event.

How to Nominate

1. Complete the official nomination form Commendations | Royal Life Saving

2. Write a citation: clearly describe what happened, what the nominee did, why it was extraordinary.

3. Submit the form and citation to Royal Life Saving NSW/ACT/TAS via email events@royalnsw.com.au

Courage isn’t always loud. It doesn’t always come with applause. Sometimes it comes with calm clarity, skill, and the choice to act when others might hesitate. The Royal Life Saving Commendation Awards seek to shine a light on those actions. If you know someone who fits this description, please consider putting their story forward — NSW’s nomination window closes soon for the February ceremony.

To view stories from some of our recent recipients, check out our latest citation booklets and videos - Commendations | Royal Life Saving