This week CFA marks 80 years as an organisation, protecting and serving Victorians through the commitment and dedication of our volunteers over the decades.
The Volunteer Brigade movement has been around in Victoria for greater than 170 years. CFA was created following the findings of the 1939 Black Friday disaster, but our rich history mirrors that of the state, with the earliest brigades emerging on the Goldfields in the 1850s.
This milestone encompasses an immeasurable legacy of sacrifice, commitment and stories which go to the heart of the Australian psyche; exemplifying mateship and the principle of being there for others in their time of need.
The iconic “yellows” are instantly recognisable and synonymous with selfless service and bravery in preparing and protecting communities across Victoria and beyond.
Our members and brigades can be found in every part of Victoria, providing a deep and unparalleled connection with their communities. We are part of them, and they are part of us.
We have learned from the many devastating events throughout our history and continue to evolve and improve our understanding of fire, while ensuring that our frontline firefighters and the community are as safe as possible as they carry out their work.
Fire prevention and suppression techniques have advanced significantly, boosted by the use of aerial appliances, telecommunications, improved weather modelling and cutting-edge predictive fire behaviour tools, as well as a focus on planned burning and other fuel reduction methods.
While many Victorians associate CFA with bushfire, our members and the work they do is so much more than that. We attended more than 37,000 incidents in the past year alone, in addition to the continuing community preparedness activities which help communities stay safe.
The roles of our CFA members cover a broad range of skillsets; from specialist rope rescue, air observers, road crash rescue, mine rescue, alpine, forest and coastguard operations and frontline firefighting, structure firefighting to research, community education and incident management.
As one of the most fire-prone areas in the world, CFA has been at the forefront of research and innovation to provide our members with the best possible equipment, training, tools and resources for their critical mission.
CFA’s work depends on a whole of emergency sector response and we thank our partner agencies for supporting us in the work that we do.
We also acknowledge and appreciate the support of the many thousands of employers who understand that when a call comes in, a volunteer must turn out to protect their community.
In recent months, we have seen just how volatile a fire season can be, with thousands of volunteers and staff responding across the state.
Victoria is a safer place thanks to the millions of hours of dedicated service provided by CFA volunteers and staff, and we are excited and inspired to continue our work for another 80 years.
This week, take a moment to thank CFA volunteers for their service by visiting cfa.vic.gov.au and leaving your thoughts.
Jason Heffernan, CFA Chief Officer