VFBV

UPDATED 5 May - click here to see the Ballarat Courier's coverage of the CFA Memorial Service on Sunday

Council of Australian Volunteer Fire Associations

MEDIA STATEMENT

1 May, 2015

VOLUNTEERS REMEMBER EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES

Representatives of Australia’s 250,000 volunteer fire-fighters have taken part in the inaugural National Memorial Service for Fire and Emergency Services Personnel in Canberra.

Council of Australian Volunteer Fire Associations (CAVFA) Director Hans van Hamond AFSM and CAVFA Secretary, Bruce Corbett laid a wreath on behalf of their 11 volunteer associations.

“This an important opportunity to remember and show respect to all emergency workers who have lost their lives while protecting the community,” Mr van Hamond said.

“Recent decades have brought better technology, growing professional skills and a safety culture among volunteer and career fire-fighters everywhere, but they still face significant hazards in protecting the community,” he said.

“The enduring memory of those who have lost their lives protecting others is an important part of our focus on the welfare of all emergency workers, and as volunteers we welcome the opportunity this memorial service presents to remember those who have been lost.”

The inaugural memorial service was run by the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC), and attended by Members of Parliament, CAVFA representatives and the Chief Officers and CEOs of fire and emergency services from around Australia.

Additional information:

The Council of Australian Volunteer Fire Associations (CAVFA) is an alliance of 11 volunteer fire brigade associations within Australia. The Council was established to give volunteer fire-fighters a united voice in representations with government and key stakeholders.

The inaugural National Memorial Service for Fire and Emergency Services Personnel took place at the National Emergency Services Memorial, by Lake Burleigh Griffin in Canberra, at 8.45 am on Friday, 1 May 2015.

Volunteers will have more of a chance to have their say at the national level, with the signing of an agreement between emergency volunteers’ associations and the body representing state and national fire organisations.

The Council of Volunteer Fire Associations (CAVFA), of which VFBV is a member, and the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) signed the Memorandum of Understanding a few weeks ago, agreeing to work for mutual understanding, co-operation and collaboration.

CAVFA Deputy Chairman and VFBV President Hans van Hamond AFSM says the MOU will help ensure issues affecting volunteerism are given solid consideration by AFAC and should help to give emergency volunteers a stronger voice at the national level.

Under the agreement, AFAC will discuss and seek input from CAVFA on matters that have direct impact on volunteers.    In return, CAVFA will encourage members to share in the discussions to address current and emerging challenges facing volunteers in the fire and emergency services today and into the future.

CAVFA members include the 11 volunteer fire associations of ACT, WA, NSW, the Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria, representing a combined 250,000 members.

Volunteer firefighters in every State have united to form a new forum, the Council of Australian Volunteer Fire Associations (CAVFA), to promote the interests of a quarter of a million members nationwide.

See the attached media release and communique to members for details.