Principal Corrections Officer Lindsay Helson
with his NZ Special Service Medal.
After being awarded the NZ Special Service Medal, Principal Corrections Officer Lindsay Helson was welcomed back to his unit at Rimutaka Prison with a mighty wero (challenge).
Lindsay received the medal for his work as a specialist embalmer during the 1979 Mt Erebus aeroplane disaster.
"Lindsay was acknowledged by the whole country for his hard work, commitment and willingness to help others whatever the circumstances may be," says his Manager at the Faith Based Unit, Pawel Gorczynski.
"He continues to display all these characteristics here at Corrections, especially in working with prisoners to help them stop re-offending."
Lindsay says the wero was exhilarating.
"I never knew 60 men could make so much noise! They wanted to express respect and welcome me. It was very emotional."
The NZ Special Service Medal recognises service or work for New Zealand in very difficult, adverse, extreme or hazardous circumstances that fall outside the boundaries of what individuals could normally expect as part of their routine duties or work.
The award also recognises the traumatic demands faced by those who worked to successfully identify 214 of the 257 victims of the Mt Erebus disaster. Their complex work was exhaustive, painstaking and innovative - setting a world standard for victim identification.
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ISSN 1178-8453