This King's Birthday four highly regarded CFA members have been awarded an Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM), in recognition of their outstanding service to CFA and their communities.
The AFSM is the highest award for a member of an Australian fire service and as part of the Kings Birthday honours list, is awarded yearly to a select group of dedicated CFA members.
The four members have been recognised for their exceptional bravery, expertise, and leadership, guiding their communities and the wider Victorian population through major natural disasters.
They have all worked on the frontlines as well as providing and imparting valuable knowledge and skills back into the organisation so that everyone in CFA may benefit from their experience.
The 2025 CFA Australian Fire Service Medal recipients are:
Anthony Scicluna - Clonbinane Brigade
Sharon Merritt - Macclesfield Brigade
Colin Brown - Warrandyte Brigade
Peter Langridge - Yellingbo and District 13 Headquarters brigades
Anthony is a volunteer, a frontline firefighter and a courageous leader and mentor. As a Wildfire Instructor he has been instrumental in developing and delivering CFA’s initial core Firefighter training module and most recently championing the Chainsaw Program and the introduction of the General Firefighter Program.
Sharon has been a CFA member for 28 years, initially as a volunteer firefighter and then a staff member for more than 15 years. Since 2003, Sharon has served as captain of Macclesfield Fire Brigade, showing exceptional leadership in a specialised large animal rescue brigade.
Colin's longstanding career exemplifies outstanding leadership, innovation and service in firefighting, emergency management, aviation operations and community engagement. Beyond his distinguished service in frontline firefighting, Colin has played a pivotal role in shaping strategic emergency management frameworks, mentoring future leaders, and championing inclusivity.
Highly regarded as an experienced health researcher and practitioner, Peter has transformed CFA’s approach to health monitoring and firefighter rehabilitation leading to a safer fireground for firefighters. His research into firefighter health has also led to the implementation and development of new programs and training.
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan congratulated the four highly respected CFA AFSM recipients for their invaluable service during their many decades of service.
“CFA is incredibly proud of its volunteers and staff, and it is great to see our members recognised with the highest fire service medal in the country,” Jason said.
“We are fortunate as an organisation to have so many incredible people who devote a large part of their life to the protection of lives and property in their communities, and I thank them for their dedication.”
CFA would also like to recognise AFSM recipient and Assistant Chief Fire Officer Operational Training Andy Waterson who has dedicated more than 35 years to improving the safety of firefighters, with a particular focus on specialist response and training. Andy started as a junior volunteer at Cohuna Fire Brigade in 1985, before becoming a full-time firefighter at Dandenong in 2001. He was instrumental in the establishment of CFA’s urban search and rescue course and heavily involved in the development of driver instructor training before transferring to Fire Rescue Victoria.
Another ten CFA members were also awarded the prestigious Order of Australia Medal for their service to their communities, including Donald Paterson, Roger Sykes, Raymond Pattle, Joy Pitts, Jason Reid, Mancel Giddings, Roslyn Greenwood, Bruce Holland, Christopher May and David O’Donnell. Congratulations also goes to Jamieson Fire Brigade member Andrew Dwyer who was honoured as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his significant service to the community.