Friends, his house, possessions and even horses - the bushfires certainly took their toll on the 53-year-old.

Despite this, Mr Wraight persevered and put the needs of others first, the State Emergency Services volunteer helped run the Bermagui Evacuation Centre with other volunteers and emergency services.

"We evacuated over 6000 people in three days, with no communications outside the town, no electricity, sewerage or running water," Mr Wraight said.

"I bonded with many people and have remained firm friends with them.

"After the fires were out, I was supported by my NSW SES family and many in the local community."

When asked what drew him to the service, Mr Wraight said it was an event some 15 years ago that still lives with him today.

"There was a girl that went missing five doors down from my house in Penrith," he said.

Without the skills to help find her, he felt useless and decided he would "never be a helpless bystander again".

Impressed by the SES volunteers' professionalism, and after a move to the South Coast, Mr Wraight joined the Bermagui unit.

In joining the service, Mr Wraight grew passionate about other areas of the service, such as mapping and planning.

But it is a relatively unknown combat responsibility that piqued his interest the most - planning, preparing and responding to tsunamis.

Residents of NSW have been encouraged to wear something orange on Wednesday, May 19, to show their support and appreciation for their local NSW State Emergency Service (NSW SES) volunteers.

Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said the day, known as Wear Orange Wednesday - which coincides with National Volunteer Week (May 17-23) - is specially designated to thank the men and women who give up their time to help their community through storms, floods and tsunamis.

"For more than 65 years, thousands of community members have donned the iconic orange uniform to protect their communities from these hazards," Mr Elliott said.

"They don't do this because they want recognition or special commendations, but because they care about their community.

"I myself will be wearing orange on the day, and I hope everyone will join me to show appreciation for the more than 10,000 NSW SES volunteers that willingly give up their time to support others," he said.

NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York echoed Mr Elliott's call for communities to show appreciation for the men and women of the service.

"Every year during National Volunteer Week, we make sure our members know the work they do year-round doesn't go unnoticed," Commissioner York said.

"Especially after the recent floods that hit in March, I know our volunteers will truly appreciate this small gesture and acknowledgement of the work they do," she said.

Commissioner York added that other states and territories around the country will be honouring their SES volunteers in a similar fashion.

"While we are really getting behind the event, this is something that other SES agencies around Australia will also be doing to honour their members, so it'll be quite the nation-wide spectacle," she said.

"I also really want to thank those from outside our agency who have thrown their support behind this. It really shows our volunteers just how much the community appreciate their hard work."

For more information about NSW SES, visit ses.nsw.gov.au