The AFL’s Emergency Services Match is an annual celebration of our emergency services, hosted by Hawthorn Football Club.
Taking place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 13 May, this is the fourth year that football fans have come together to learn more about and celebrate our first responders.
CFA was part of the Fan Zone at Yarra Park and the sunny weather drew a big crowd. CFA provided lots of hands on opportunities to experience and learn more about fire safety including the ‘smoke house’ and a life-sized game of hoses and ladders.
The Mobile Engagement Unit was also there along with community engagement team members who were kept busy answering questions about fire risks including fire danger ratings, travelling in regional Victoria and smoke alarm installation. Captain Koala also joined his emergency services mascot colleagues on the performance stage.
As well as recognising the efforts of CFA, the game thanked and celebrated the work and efforts of Emergency Management Victoria, Ambulance Victoria, Fire Rescue Victoria, Victoria Police, CFA, Life Saving Victoria, Forest Fire Management Victoria, Victorian State Emergency Service, ESTA 000, St John Ambulance, Red Cross, the Victoria Council of Churches and Marine Search and Rescue.
CFA volunteers took part in pre-game celebrations, with emergency vehicles taking part in a motorcade around the ground before members from all emergency services forming a guard of honour for the Hawthorn players as they ran onto the ground.
At half time volunteers took part in a lap of honour to rousing applause from the audience, before settling in to watch the second half of the game.