Motions

St Florian's Day

The Hon. R.B. MARTIN (15:55): I move:

That this council—

1. Recognises that 4 May 2024 marks St Florian’s Day;

2. Acknowledges that St Florian is the patron saint of firefighters; and

3. Gives thanks to all past and present employees, members and volunteers of the MFS and CFS for their service.

Each year, 4 May marks the feast of St Florian. On the same day since 1999, we also celebrate International Firefighters' Day. International Firefighters' Day shares its date with St Florian's Day in recognition of the risks taken, the sacrifices made, and the exceptional bravery demonstrated by firefighting personnel around the world.

St Florian, who is recognised as the patron saint of firefighters, was born around 250 CE. A commander of the Imperial Army in the Roman province of Noricum, in modern-day Austria, he was responsible for organising and leading firefighting brigades. St Florian's cross is a recognisable motif incorporated into the insignia of many modern fire services.

South Australia's Metropolitan Fire Service, an institution that is universally highly regarded across our community and rated among the most trusted professions in the nation, is one of the oldest legislated government firefighting services in the world. Prior to its establishment, the responsibility for firefighting sat with the police and with the community. In the early 1840s the government purchased a vehicle to help with firefighting. This so-called fire engine was evidently nothing more than a cart with leather buckets and a few ladders on board.

Around 1855, a particular approach to firefighting arose. Building insurance in the colony was extremely expensive at the time and, in a bid to sell more of it, insurers lowered their premiums. To counter the risks they were taking on, they established their own firefighting service. We can imagine that the government of the day, then as now, recognised that crucial public services should not be subject to privatisation, because the Fire Brigade Act 1862 provided for the establishment of the South Australian Fire Brigade, now known as the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service.

The job of the MFS today is, in their own words, 'to safeguard the irreplaceable'. Many South Australians have stories to share of moments when MFS personnel have stepped in and bravely saved the day. I have my own such story of a vivid memory from childhood that will stay with me forever and cemented early on my admiration and gratitude for the work of the MFS and its people, but I will not go into that today.

The MFS's role over more than 160 years of service has evolved far beyond their original remit of structural firefighting, in response to our community's needs in a complex, modern, multi-hazard environment. The courage and dedication of the MFS workers protecting our lives, our loved ones and our livelihoods is extraordinary. How fortunate we are that they are one of two firefighting forces that South Australians can count upon in our times of greatest need.

In 1976, the government passed the Country Fires Act, which set up the South Australian Country Fire Service. The CFS serves communities through dedicated volunteers delivering professional fire and rescue services to outer metropolitan, regional and rural South Australia. Throughout South Australia there are around thirteen and a half thousand CFS volunteers across 425 brigades, 33 hazmat brigades and 66 road crash rescue brigades, all supported by a fleet of over 800 fire trucks.

The CFS is also an all-hazards agency responding to bushfires, building fires, road crash rescues and hazardous material spills. The CFS works alongside the MFS and the SES and with local government to help with strategies for fuel reduction and to educate the community about bushfires and fire safety.

Particularly during a bushfire event, everything can change in an instant. The lives and the communities that have been saved by the quick action and the skill of our volunteer firefighters in the CFS is almost beyond quantifying. To do this without remuneration, in sacrifice of personal time and often at very great risk is an extraordinary act of service. Both our MFS and our CFS are indispensable to our community, and without the dedicated service of the women and men in both services we would be lost.

Firefighters are on the frontlines of almost every kind of emergency we experience in South Australia. For both the MFS and CFS, the work is often dangerous. Firefighters are called upon to put their own safety on the line to protect people across our community, and they do exactly that whenever they must and there are many whose lives have been lost in doing so.

On St Florian's Day and International Firefighters' Day, we honour and remember those we have lost with utmost gratitude and respect. We acknowledge the profound enormity of their sacrifice, as well as the extraordinary personal losses endured by those who love them. To the union that represents our firefighting forces, the United Firefighters Union, I commend your steadfast advocacy on behalf of your members.

The Malinauskas Labor government is grateful, and I am personally grateful, to every firefighter in our state, whether they be paid or volunteer, full-time or part-time. The work that you do changes lives and saves lives, and you never let our community down. It really takes a special person to see a fire raging and run towards it, not just once but any time and every time it is necessary to do so. How very fortunate we are to have so many such people among us, each of whom is willing to suit up day after day and fight to keep us safe. In full confidence of the support of all members, I am proud to commend the motion to the chamber.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. L.A. Henderson.