But now, Michelle De Friskbom said she has had to make the emotional and tough decision to step down as State Emergency Service (SES) Local Commander, something she hadn't taken lightly and only after realising she didn't have the capacity "to give 100 per cent".

"I love the role, I love volunteering anyway, and I've enjoyed being in the Local Commander role, so it was a big decision to actually finally step down," Ms De Friskbom, who had been serving in the position for the past five years, said.

A year after moving from Darwin to Bega, Ms De Friskbom recalled being present during an intense low-pressure system from an east coast low during 2016, and decided to go to SES to ask if she could be of any assistance.

"That's how I joined, I stayed and helped as much as I could, and then put my application in pretty much straight after that," she said.

"It's been fantastic, like I said I love volunteering, I think for a lot of volunteers and for me, I love giving my time to the community and it makes you feel good, so why wouldn't you do it?

"I love being in a leadership role, I love being able to look after our volunteers as best I can, I really like engaging with other emergency services within the local commander role.

"I've met so many different people and leaders in other organisations when we go to major events down here."

Ms De Friskbom said she has had the opportunity to brush shoulders with so many people, both through the emergency services and at a community level, during some people's most difficult life moments.

"When I look at disasters and what we've seen down here, and I went up to Lismore after the big events up there to coordinate the rapid damage assessments - I guess that's the benefit of being in the role, I've not just been in the Bega Valley, but I've been out of area," Ms De Friskbom said.

"The devastation you see from both floods and fire is completely different, and I don't know what's worse.

"A fire will come through and pretty much destroy everything so there's nothing left, a flood you can recover some things.

"But from what I saw up in Lismore, when you're given the green light to go back to your house, you are looking at the entire contents generally of your whole entire life sitting out on the curb, ready to be picked up by a big dump truck that comes around.

"It's the highs and lows you ride, we do it for a reason and we do it because we want to be there and help people."

Zac Willis, captain of the Bega's VRA said Ms De Friskbom's leadership had been wonderful for the SES and the broader community, and said it was good she would still be around to provide input.

Cheryl McCarthy, Surf Life Saving NSW's emergency management coordinator, said Ms De Friskbom was always collaborative and made a real effort to work with other agencies, the key to being successful out in the field.

"It's sad for us to see her stepping down, but hopefully we'll still get to work with her in the future as well.

"She's just got so much skill, knowledge and expertise to share with everyone, so it's been a great honour to work beside her," Ms McCarthy said.