Blaze stalwart Summa Stephens at the helm in times of crisis

As community care manager for the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, the Wagga Blaze stalwart coordinated the Fire Response mobile clinics as fires ravaged Snowy Mountain communities.

It's quite a responsibility, leading clinical teams during people's time of need, and deciding where their services are needed the most.

But like basketball, or any team sport for that matter, Stephens said it takes teamwork to make the right calls under times of duress.

"I wouldn't say I was nervous, it's not generally a quality I have," she said.

"I'd probably be more nervous trying to shoot the last two foul shots of a game, because my shooting is rubbish.

"I really enjoy working with teams and coming from a team sport background in basketball, you really rely on the people around you.

"We'd have morning briefings and afternoon debriefings where you form the plan for the next day. The teams would say 'we need to go here and this is why', and we'd juggle that with roads and safety and supplies.

"It definitely requires fast decision making, but considered decision making in a funny way. You're trusting the people around you with their knowledge to help make that decision.

"As a health professional it was a real privilege to work with different health districts and clinicians to make a difference.

"It really drove home a sense of community, and the human side of what a disaster looks like."

Stephens said the stories the doctors, nurses, mental health workers and social workers deployed across the region told from their experiences was humbling.

"From a disaster perspective it was about deploying clinical teams on a daily basis to areas of most need," she said.

"Dunns Road was probably the most publicised road during the fires, they drove up and down that road every day and sought people out to see if they need any help.

"It's the stories they come back with that are really humbling, people are so grateful.

"A lot of the fire stuff back then was all about the Sydney side of the mountain. Batlow and Tumbarumba and Dunns Road really weren't getting the media coverage, and felt like they were getting left out a little bit.

"These guys were in the same uniforms four weeks in a row, so they felt like they weren't being forgotten."

"I had the chance to meet (former NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner) Shane Fitzsimmons and it's like meeting your favourite basketball player, it's pretty cool."

Stephens said one act of generosity from fire-affect residents doing it tough themselves hit home for her.

"Obsession Wines (at Tumbarumba) lost all their vines in the fires but every bottle of wine they sold, they donated to the Fire Relief Appeal," she said.

"The reason why that's so astounding is he now won't be able to produce any wine for five years after they replant their vines."

Stephens has also been at the helm of planning for the coronavirus pandemic most notably setting up assessment and testing facilities in different towns across the region.

She said restrictions shouldn't be lifted until the government says it's safe, but said sport plays a huge role in people's wellbeing.

"Once the government relaxes those restrictions I hope team sport is something that can be put back on the table," she said.

"Myself and the girls miss the comaraderie that comes with playing and training, and doing what we like doing.

For me, it's an escape from work. Sport is great for your medical and physical help but it's that social comaraderie that is really important."

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