'It can take days': What it's like rescuing somebody from remote wilderness

Mr Coombes is the regional operation manager for the western region at VRA Rescue NSW, based out of the Central West.

The volunteer organisation provides rescue services across NSW, working alongside emergency services.

Mr Coombes, a Coonabarabran resident, is being recognised with an Emergency Services Medal for his volunteer work in the organisation, which spans almost two decades.

The Emergency Services Medal recognises distinguished service as a member of an Australian emergency service and is bestowed by the Governor-General.

"I work very closely with all the other [emergency] services. They say we have a major operation and I will work with the police, the SES, Fire and Rescue, and RFS," Mr Coombes told the Daily Liberal.

"We all come together at a command point and we will control the situation from that point."

Mr Coombes joined the Coonabarabran VRA in 2006, and after completing his General Land Rescue Training, he held many positions with the unit and also with VRA Rescue NSW.

In addition to his position managing the western region's operations, Mr Coombes also holds the role of general land rescue operator at the Coonabarabran unit.

His volunteer work doesn't stop there, as he is also a member of the Coonabarabran RFS since 2010. One of the most memorable jobs during this time has been as the crew leader and logistics manager for the VRA Rescue NSW contingent to assist the RFS during the Wambelong fires of 2013.

"It's a pretty important role that we do, and assist the volunteers to concentrate more on their rescue and what they're doing than to worry about the behind the scenes stuff," Mr Coombes said.

"That's where I've gotten to now, but I started out on the truck with everybody else. And enjoyed it a hell of a lot."

Mr Coombes has helped with all types of rescues including major airport instances, bus crashes, major flooding events, fires, vertical rescue, and water rescue.

He always flies the flag for the Coonabarabran community.

"They do a fantastic job out there. It's quite challenging in a lot of the remote bush settings," he said.

"With the Warrumbungle National Park, so treacherous sort of mountains, they do take a lot of effort to get up and down them and especially when you're bringing people out or finding people.

"Then you've got the Pilliga Forest, which is a vast area of wilderness. You've got to spend a lot of hours out there. We can spend days out there at length of time, or finding people or looking for people or bringing them back out."

One of the biggest challenges of the role is balancing the volunteering with family life: "Rescue does absorb a lot of time and having a good wife and children behind you to support what you do."

He said all jobs were memorable in their own way, "whether it be tragic or whether it be a good news story."