Much-loved volunteer mourned
A 48-year-old Albany man and much-loved State Emergency Service volunteer who went missing in the Porongurup National Park on Sunday afternoon was found dead yesterday morning.
Emidio Demasi was found in bush in the vicinity of the Tree in the Rock picnic area at 9.30am by one of five search crews involving Great Southern police from Albany and Mt Barker and SES volunteers.
The discovery shocked Mr Demasi’s colleagues, who had been desperately trying to find him.
Emidio Demasi was found dead in Prongurup National Park yesterday after he went missing while hiking on Sunday. Picture: WA Police
SES volunteers and police consoled each other as they milled around the search command centre at the Tree in the Rock carpark on Bolganup Road.
Volunteers, still in their distinctive orange overalls, had arms around each other’s shoulders as they took in the shock of losing one of their own.
Emergency services chaplain Niall Gibson consoled the volunteers to help them through their grief.
“He was like a family member to them,” he said.
Mr Demasi, who had plenty of food and water, was reported missing on Sunday at 4pm when he failed to return from hiking with a group of friends, including fellow SES members, on the Nancy Peaks Walk.
It is believed Mr Demasi deviated into the bush from the path the group was taking, but his fellow hikers were unconcerned by his actions.
They did not realise he was missing until they reached the carpark, when they immediately retraced their steps and searched for him at his last known location.
Police from Mt Barker became involved and members from Albany and Mt Barker SES were called in to help, but the search was called off as darkness fell because it was too dangerous.
SES volunteers took off at first light yesterday combing the vicinity in which their colleague was last seen.
SES district manager Lynda Elms said Mr Demasi disappeared before the other walkers realised he was missing and they thought he would catch up at the carpark.
“They searched by themselves and then the call went out to police,” she said.
“He was a well-liked member of the SES and everybody is gutted.
“He was a team member working his way up to become a leader.
“It was one of the reasons he was out here, to increase his fitness levels.”
