CFA Wildfire Instructor and operational firefighter Anthony (Tony) Scicluna has been awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) in this year’s King’s Birthday honours for his outstanding dedication to firefighter training, safety culture and community service.
Tony’s career in fire services spans more than four decades across both volunteer and career roles. During that time, he has left a lasting mark on bushfire training in Victoria, shaping programs, training thousands of volunteers, and instilling a culture of calm, safety and awareness on the fireground.
“Receiving the AFSM is a real honour, but it’s one I share with a lot of people who worked beside me along the way,” Tony said.
Tony began his CFA journey as one of the founding members of Clonbinane Fire Brigade in the early 1980s. At the time, there was no brigade in the local area, only a community fire truck attached to the Wandong Fire Brigade. Driven by local need and collective effort, Tony joined other local residents and successfully lobbied the CFA for a new brigade, which continues to serve the region today.
From 1990, his firefighting expertise deepened during 12 years with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, where he gained hands-on experience in bushfire behaviour, forest management and operational response. He also worked in the Fire Management Branch developing bushfire training packages and firefighting training videos. That experience became the foundation for his work developing and delivering CFA’s training curriculum.
Over the years, Tony, has played a pivotal role in the creation of several major CFA training programs, including CFA’s initial core firefighter training module, the General Firefighter program, the Chainsaw and Tree Hazard programs. He has also taught fire ecology and planned burning at TAFE level, contributed to the development of interagency training packages still in use today, all while remaining an active CFA volunteer throughout.
“I’m a big believer in the older firefighter teaching the newer firefighter,” he said.
“That’s how firefighting knowledge has always been passed on — hands-on learning, real stories, real consequences. You’ve got to engage the firefighters you train so they bring out the best in themselves. That’s my philosophy.”
Tony is also well known for his signature tree hazard safety message: “look up”, a mantra he developed through years of chainsaw and forest fire training.
In 2009, Tony’s home community was directly impacted by the Kilmore East fire on Black Saturday, a day he describes as testing every fibre of his training and leadership.
“CFA District 12 was heavily impacted by fire. Our communities and brigades were severely affected. That day, and the years that followed, were tough for me and for the volunteers I worked with. I learnt so much during this time.”
In the aftermath, Tony supported many of the same brigades he had helped train, as they regrouped, recovered and continued to serve their communities.
“Post Black Saturday a few firefighters told me that the training I delivered really helped them get through that terrible day. That’s the ultimate reward for a bushfire instructor.”
Reflecting on his stellar career, Tony remains humble.
“It is a privilege to work alongside our volunteers and watch their fire experience grow with every bushfire they attend. They are good people doing a very important job and I hold them all in high regard. They’re the ones who’ll carry the training forward to our new firefighters.”
“I simply want to say thank you to the many people who have supported me over the years.”