If you have not yet checked whether your nominee and category are eligible, please first review the Award Categories & Eligibility page.
Having the right details on hand will make completing your nomination smoother and more accurate.
Details of person you are nominating
Details of person you are nominating
- Full name and preferred name
- Emergency service or agency (for example: CFA, SES, Ambulance Victoria, FRV, VICSES, Life Saving Victoria, Victoria Police)
- Role/position and station, branch or unit (if known)
- Contact details (email and/or phone, if available)
- Your name and relationship to the nominee
- Your contact details so we can follow up if needed
- Specific stories or incidents that show how the nominee has gone above and beyond
- Evidence of leadership, innovation, collaboration or community engagement
- Any measurable outcomes (for example: people reached, programs delivered, improvements achieved)
- Letters or emails of support from community members, colleagues or leaders
- Program flyers, media coverage or social media posts that mention the nominee
| Step | What to do | Helpful links / notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Check eligibility | Confirm that your nominee and chosen category meet the eligibility criteria. | See General Eligibility Criteria and Who Can Submit a Nomination. |
| 2. Select the right category | Decide which award category best reflects your nominee’s role and contribution. | Review Individual Award Categories |
| 3. Gather information | Collect the details and examples listed in the section above, including any supporting documents. | Refer back to Information You Will Need. |
| 4. Draft your responses | Write clear, specific responses to each question, focusing on impact and evidence rather than praise alone. | Use the guidance in Tips for Writing a Strong Nomination. |
| 5. Complete the online form | Enter all required fields carefully and attaching any supporting material. | Visit the online nomination form at www.resca.awardsplatform.com |
| 6. Review and submit | Check spelling, accuracy of details and completeness against the checklist, then submit before the deadline. | See Key Dates & Timeline to confirm closing dates. |
| Nomination Criteria The nominee must be member of one of the Emergency Service Agencies in a paid (employee) or unpaid (volunteer) capacity and will be judged on:
| ||
A strong nomination clearly explains what the nominee has done, why it matters, and how it has made a difference to the community.
Be specific, not general
Be specific, not general
- Describe particular actions, initiatives or incidents rather than using only broad praise.
- Include dates, locations and roles where you can.
- Explain who benefited and how (for example, community members, volunteers, colleagues, partner organisations).
- Mention any improvements in safety, wellbeing, inclusion, preparedness or resilience.
- Avoid acronyms or technical terms where possible, or explain them briefly.
- Write in full sentences and short paragraphs so judges can follow your story.
- Refer to feedback from community members or colleagues, even if it is informal.
- Highlight participation numbers, length of service or program reach where relevant.
- Instead of “Jamie is always dedicated and hardworking”, try: “Over the past 12 months, Jamie has led a new community preparedness program that reached more than 500 residents across three towns, resulting in a measurable increase in emergency plan uptake.”
- Instead of “Pat is respected by everyone”, try: “Pat is trusted by community members from diverse backgrounds. During the recent storm events, Pat coordinated multi-agency door-knocks, ensuring elderly and isolated residents received welfare checks within 24 hours.”
- Make sure your examples speak to leadership, service, community engagement and innovation where applicable.
- You can review how nominations are assessed on the Judging Panel & Criteria page.
Nominations are submitted online via the official Victoria RESCA nomination site at www.resca.awardsplatform.com
Online submission
Online submission
- Go to the online nomination site at www.resca.awardsplatform.com
- Complete all required fields, copy in your prepared responses and upload any supporting documents (if requested).
- Review your answers carefully before you press submit.
- If you experience technical issues with the site or need accessibility support, please contact us via Contact.
- We will work with you to ensure you can complete a nomination wherever possible.
- Nominations must be received by the closing date listed on the Key Dates & Timeline page.
- Late nominations generally cannot be accepted, so please allow time to gather information and review your submission.
Once you submit your nomination, a series of steps takes place behind the scenes.
Confirmation
Confirmation
- You should receive an on-screen confirmation and/or an email confirming that your nomination has been received.
- If you do not see a confirmation, please check that you completed all required fields, and contact us if you are unsure.
- Nominations are checked to confirm they meet basic eligibility and are complete.
- We may contact you if clarification is required.
- Names of Nominees are submitted to their agency for eligibility - checks are done on their suitability to receive the award (if judged to be finalist)
- Eligible nominations are provided to the judging panel for assessment against the published criteria.
- You can find more detail on this process on the How the Judging Process Works section.
- Finalists are contacted and advised of their selection and invited to the awards ceremony.
- Finalists are recognised at the Victoria RESCA Awards Ceremony where the overall category winners are announced.
- Key dates for announcements and events are outlined on the Key Dates & Timeline and Ceremony pages.
Use this short checklist to make sure your nomination is ready to submit.
- I have confirmed my nominee and category meet the eligibility criteria.
- I have checked that the nominee’s name, role, organisation and contact details are correct.
- I have clearly described specific actions, initiatives or incidents that show the nominee’s contribution.
- I have explained the impact on the community, including who benefited and how.
- I have checked my responses against the judging criteria.
- I have attached or prepared any supporting documents I wish to include (if requested).
- I have reviewed spelling, clarity and completeness of every response.
- I have confirmed I am submitting before the nomination closing date.
Thank you for taking the time to recognise the remarkable service of Victoria’s emergency services personnel. Your nomination helps shine a light on individuals and teams who quietly go above and beyond for their communities every day.
If you would like to revisit any information before you start, you can return to:
If you would like to revisit any information before you start, you can return to: