Mungindi Rural Fire Service captain Kym Stanford has been recognised with an Australian Fire Service medal.

She was presented with the award by governor Margaret Beazley at Government House in Sydney.

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"It's a very humbling experience, you don't know who nominated you and I still haven't found out who that was," Ms Stanford said.

"It was just phenomenal and definitely a once in a lifetime experience."

Ms Stanford joined the Mungindi Rural Fire Brigade in 1995 and was elected Senior Deputy Captain in 1999.

Two years later she was named captain and has held the role since.

"I'm originally from Boggabri and I'd only been living here for a couple of years before I joined," Ms Stanford said.

"It was a good way to get around and meet a lot of people and I've always enjoyed the social side of it, too."

She has been a Moree Shire Council employee working at the pool in Mungindi for 26 years.

In 2022, she shared a RFS Commissioner's Unit Citation for Service awarded to the Mungindi Brigade for its response to the fire in the main street of Mungindi, in September 2020 which destroyed the supermarket, butcher and homeware store.

She was instrumental in leading the RFS response and coordinating other emergency services from both New South Wales and Queensland, along with the community and business members who assisted.

In addition to her long-term operational commitment, she has held the position of Brigade President since 2013, is a permit officer and as a trainer and assessor.

She has supported the establishment of new operational capabilities and led her Brigade to meet the changing needs of the New South Wales RFS and community, including qualifying as a Rescue Operator when the need arose for the Brigade to provide rescue capabilities for Mungindi and the surrounding area.

The NSW Rural Fire Service said her commitment to the community is consistently demonstrated through her effort, professionalism, leadership and selfless commitment to the values of the service.

"It's a close-knit community out here and that's why I do it," Ms Stanford said.

"We serve the community and try to offer them the best service we can."

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