Thank a First Responder Day

Ms HUTCHESSON (Waite) (15:27): Last Wednesday was Thank a First Responder Day. It is a national day of appreciation and a time to acknowledge the dedication and sacrifice of our first responders and their families. Unfortunately, I was suffering the effects of COVID and was not able to get out and celebrate with my first responders, so I thought I would take the time now to show my appreciation.

First responders are a special breed. They are the people who are there when we are at our most vulnerable, whether it be through a car accident, a tree falling on your home, facing an illness or injury that needs a trip to the hospital, or when we need police assistance—and let us not forget when we are staring down the very real threat of a bushfire, or our home is on fire. Whether our first responders wear blue, green, orange or yellow, they wear their hearts on their sleeves, and whether they are paid or volunteer, they are the first people to lend a hand when we really need it.

Locally to Waite, we are cared for by our emergency services. The Sturt and Lofty CFS groups, including Belair, Eden Hills, Blackwood, Coromandel Valley and Cherry Gardens, with backup from the Upper Sturt and Ironbank brigades, are often called to help. These are our neighbours, friends and families: ordinary people doing extraordinary things, often in unfavourable conditions. Whether it be in the scorching sun or the freezing middle of the night, our CFS volunteers are there and I thank them all. While we do not have an MFS station in our community, I know that many of our CFS responders are also MFS employees, and I want to thank them for not only helping us during the day in their day job but also volunteering their time after hours to assist our community.

In Waite we also have two SES units, the Sturt unit and the Metro South unit, and I was very pleased to join them recently at their WOW Day celebrations where they were thanked and honoured. Last week, I had a visit from Jayne and Glen from the Sturt unit, who were out sharing some of the love around our community, and they popped in to deliver some bright orange doughnuts. SES members are highly trained and can assist in many ways, including rescues from heights, when people go missing, when kids fall from their mountain bikes on the tracks, when trees fall and when storms arrive. A big thank you to our volunteers in orange for all that you do.

Also in our community we have the Mitcham Ambulance Station, closely supported by the Edwardstown Station and the Marion Station. We are very lucky to have these true legends so close for when we are at our most vulnerable. I would like to thank our ambos who work so hard today—and today especially, two years since he left us, I remember the times they came to assist my dad towards the end of his life. They were so caring to our family and I can only imagine that experience that we had is echoed across the state every minute of every day. Thank you to our ambos for all that you do in supporting our community.

Another of our first responders who deserve recognition are our police. Our South Australian police officers are quick to respond to our area when things go adrift, whether that is helping at accidents, chasing down the bad guys or helping educate, including our mountain bike riders. The team that spends time keeping an eye on our riders, spending time talking with them, growing the relationship are just wonderful. They come along to our pop-up barbecues, they ride dirt bikes up and down the trials and they hop on trains to remind the kids that they are part of a community that comes with responsibility and respect.

Our police face challenging situations, whether it be in the line of fire or having to visit someone who has lost a loved one. They are the ones who have to break the news and break the hearts and that cannot be easy. Having had that knock on the door, I know firsthand how they must constantly have to look after themselves to ensure that their mental health is intact. They face hard times and I thank them for what they do.

Yesterday was the very first Police Legacy Day and we all donned the purple daisy to honour those who currently serve our community and remember those who are no longer with us. Police Legacy organisations across Australia provide support to police and their families through both heartbreak and healing. I would also like to thank the other support associations that look after all our emergency services: the CFS Foundation, who work so hard to create and support our firefighters; the Australian Professional Firefighters Foundation, who look after our MFS; the National State Emergency Services volunteers, who are there to look after our SES; and the many more unions that also support our emergency service responders.

It is also important to recognise the families of our first responders, the ones who sit at home worrying about their loved ones and in some cases do not get them back or get them back with injury. On Thank a First Responder Day we need to thank them too. It is not easy to see your loved one walk out the door. I know how hard it can be waiting for them to come home. So whilst I missed the day last week, know that I am thankful to our first responders every day. I appreciate you, I see you and I thank you.