CFA Connect Blogosphere

This week is National Volunteer Week. It's important to recognise and thank our volunteers throughout the whole year, but this week gives us the opportunity to more formally acknowledge and celebrate the extraordinary commitment, energy and selflessness that our 58,000 volunteers bring to CFA every day. The work you do is essential. It is something that we, as an organisation and as a community, do not take for granted. The theme for National Volunteer Week 2012 is: "Volunteers - Every One Counts". Nowhere is this more evident than within CFA. Every CFA member brings knowledge, skills and experience to CFA. This gives us great diversity, strength and capability enabling us to accomplish great things for the community. Volunteers are ordinary men and women - our family, mates, neighbours, bosses, employees, the people we pass on the footpath or sit next to each day - but our volunteers are also exceptional people who give their own time and talents to serve others in their time of need. During National Volunteer week various activities will show our appreciation for all that you do. Visit CFA Connect for details on how to get involved. CFA prides itself on its volunteers who are the backbone of the organisation. We are proud to take this special opportunity to recognise our volunteers. On behalf of CFA, I say "Thank you for your effort, commitment, determination and enthusiasm. Your work is important. It is appreciated. Keep up the great effort and THANK YOU!"

The June Board meeting was held in Swan Hill in recognition of the sustained work of Loddon Mallee CFA members through the recent floods. It was also recognition that, for many members, the flood crisis is still exacting a heavy toll.

Loddon Mallee Regional Manager Pat O'Brien hosted a dinner for Board members, the Chief Officer and CFA members representing a range of brigades from across the region. It was an opportunity for those members to pose forthright questions about immediate needs, channels for assistance and other matters of concern to them.

This week is National Volunteer Week. It is time to recognise the strength and benefit that we, as a society, receive from volunteering.  Volunteers come in many forms.  In our schools, hospitals, aged and special care facilities; in sports, working with the disadvantaged and those with special needs; and working to provide hope and a lifeline for those who are down on luck and circumstance.  Emergency service volunteers in Australia hold a special place in our culture.  The volunteering ethos is strong not only in CFA, but in our communities and our governments.  Put simply, we could not enjoy the same standard of health, happiness and safety as we do if it were not for the efforts of our volunteers.  Globally, the strong culture of fire and emergency service volunteering in Australia is regarded with respect and some jealously by governments and emergency managers in other countries.  Our volunteering ethos is extremely valuable.  It is something to be grown, developed and encouraged in future generations.  On behalf of CFA, to all our front line people, we say: “Thank you! You do essential work. You create value by protecting lives and property. Your efforts are very much appreciated. Be proud of what you do. Keep up the great work!”