Mohammed Alam
Mohammed Shabbir Alam came to Australia in 2004 as an international student with a view to become an Australian. While he was studying, he joined Red Cross and State Emergency Service (SES) as a volunteer. Since then he has shown a great deal of compassion and care towards the community and his newly adopted country Australia. In 2008 Mohammed became an Australian Citizen.
While Mohammed was volunteering with Red Cross, he actively participated in seven different programs with the organisation such as, Patient transport driver – driving vulnerable people (free of cost) from their home to hospital appointments and then returning them back to their home, Emergency first aid officer – administrating first aid to general public or emergency workers who may have injured themself in an event such as community event or an emergency situation like bush fire and floods, Personal support officer– providing practical and emotional support to people who are affected by natural disasters, Registration officer – registering vulnerable people in an natural disaster or emergency, Catering officer – making tea or coffee and serving food to people affected by various emergency and to emergency service personals, Single incident & purchasing officer – organising shelter and basic clothing and food for those who may have lost their house on a house fire, Outreach team leader – leading teams to physically visit flood or fire affected people, to provide information on services available to them and inquiring their general wellbeing. During VIC Bush Fires 2006-2007 Mohammed was providing emergency first aid and personal support services to the Bairnsdale community. Also, in 2007 he saved a life by performing CPR to the person who suffered a heart attack during Around the Bay community event.
Currently, Mohammed is working for Australian Red Cross as an Operations Officer in the Emergency Services Department. In his service he has committed himself to spread the Power of humanity by providing services like personal support, outreach, first aid, catering, and registration to hundreds of people who were affected by fires and floods throughout Australia. He has actively participated and led various natural disasters such as, QLD Floods 2008, VIC Bush Fires 2009, VIC Locust Plague 2010, WA Floods 2010, QLD Floods 2010-2011, VIC Floods 2010-2011. As he describes this; a Dream job, for his hard work and dedication he received National Meritorious Service Award from Red Cross, especially for his outstanding contribution during VIC Bush Fires 2009.
In addition to that, he is still a dedicated volunteer with the Northcote Unit, SES. In his service he solely devotes his spare time to response to floods and storms regardless of the weather and regardless if it is day or night. He has contributed countless hours to respond to flood and storm incidents especially VIC Storm 2010. Time to time he has participated in various schools and Royal Children Hospital to promote SES. He also participates in community safety day, fundraising and searches for missing individual. Nevertheless on the call of duty to respond to a missing person search, he received SES CEO Award in 2010 for his invaluable service to SES and VICPOL.
Following his compassion to serve his newly adopted country, he also joined the Australian Army Reserve as a Soldier and currently serving the Nation with pride. In his short career he participated to the Army response in the Operation VIC Fire Assist 2009. Though he is a junior soldier but he received Soldiers Medallion for his Exemplary Service in 2010. He is known to his peers as a devoted Soldier. He is now looking forward for an opportunity to serve in an operational deployment to overseas.
Mohammed was recognised for his selfless devotion to the community and country in 2010 when he was one of the finalists out of four to be nominated for Victorian Young Australian of the Year award 2010. Mohammed is an inspiration to the young Australians and also to the Muslim population in Australia. As himself he is a Modern Muslim Australian who has devoted his life to serve and protect the welfare & security of his community and country. He is passionate on what he does. He is respected by people who know him for his selfless act, courage, initiative, team work and compassion for humanity. Mohammed’s story has been published in various local and national newspapers and also can be found under goggle search and YouTube.
Mohammed received a Pride of Australia Medal on 2011.
Mohammed can be described as a volunteer, a humanitarian and a soldier. Though he was not born in Australia, he has accepted and adopted the culture and the people and also has devoted his life to serve Australia, for which he is proud.