Firefighting heroes to be honoured with National Emergency Medal

After almost five months fighting some of the worst bushfires in Australia’s history, the efforts of those who have put their lives on the line will be forever acknowledged, with firefighters to be awarded a National Emergency Medal to honour their bravery.

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A National Emergency Medal will be awarded to those who have put their lives on the line in what will be remembered as Australia’s worst bushfire disaster on record.

Firefighters killed while battling blazes are among those expected to be posthumously honoured, along with volunteer and paid crews.

And, in acknowledgment of the international help, the federal government has opened eligibility to overseas emergency workers.

An example of what the National Emergency Medal, to be awarded to firefighters, looks like. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed Governor-General David Hurley agreed to a request from the government the 2019-20 bushfires be declared “a nationally significant emergency”.

The declaration enables the government to hand out a National Emergency Medal, with recipients chosen via a nomination process or selected by the National Emergency Medal Committee.

While the criteria is yet to be finalised, it is understood it will recognise emergency responders who have given “sustained” or “significant service”.

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The PM said while the focus was on helping communities recover, it was also important recognition was given.

“The response to the bushfire situation has been unprecedented with thousands of volunteer and paid responders working around the clock, day and night, week after week to protect property and save lives,” he said.

“Their courage has been extraordinary, and it’s a spirit which we must honour and celebrate this Australia Day.

“We will continue to do whatever it takes to support fire-affected communities to help them rebuild.”

Firefighters who bravely fought the fires across the nation are eligible for the medals. Picture: Jeremy Piper

The recipients will join an elite group of emergency workers awarded medals since the Queen approved the National Emergency Medal regulations in 2011.

The 15,000 who have received a medal to date include more than 4470 firefighters who fought in the deadly Victorian “Black Saturday” bushfires of 2009.

Other recipients include those involved in the Queensland floods and Cyclone Yasi.

With bushfires still burning, the criteria of the medal will be settled in the coming months.

Chaired by The Honourable Fran Bailey, the five-member National Emergency Medal Committee includes Jeffrey Cree AFSM, Andrea Heath, John Reid PSM and Robert Cameron OAM.

The medals follow the announcement by the federal government that it will hand up to $6000 in compensation to bushfire volunteers who have been on the job for more than 10 days.

New figures show $2.34 million in payments averaging $3952 each have been made in NSW, including 625 to NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) volunteers and 14 to State Emergency Service (SES) workers, with 12 from other organisations. Emergency Services Minister David Elliott said the payments would help ease the financial stress of those who had spent weeks on the frontline.

Medal application forms can be found on the Governor-General of Australia’s website at gg.gov.au

Originally published as Firefighting heroes to be honoured with National Emergency Medal