Concordia CFS captain Robert Borgo, John Lawrence of the Prospect SES, Gawler MFS senior firefighter Mat Williamson and officer in charge of the Barossa Local Service Area, chief inspector Shane Addison united at Gawler’s Pioneer Park on Monday for a St Florian’s Day ceremony. PHOTO: Sara Gilligan
EMERGENCY service workers were commemorated during an impromptu ceremony at Gawler on Monday to mark St Florian’s Day.
Sacrificing at the front-line of the region’s COVID-19 response, local firefighters, police, paramedics, nurses, and other emergency service workers were thanked during the inaugural memorial event.
Representatives from the Country Fire Service, SA Police, State Emergency Service and Metropolitan Fire Service united at Pioneer Park to lay wreaths as part of the ceremony, including local Member for Light Tony Piccolo.
St Florian’s Day on May 4 is also celebrated as International Firefighters’ Day, which was instituted in 1999 following the deaths of five firefighters in a wildfire at Linton, Victoria.
Mr Piccolo said only a simple service was held to mark the occasion because of the COVID-19 health restrictions.
“The ceremony is both a thanksgiving and memorial event held to thank those emergency services workers who help keep our community safe and a memorial to those who have lost their lives in natural disasters, like fires and floods,” he said.
“While initially it was a day of commemoration for firefighters, in more recent times it has included other emergency services workers, as they work closely together during times of crisis.”
Officer in charge of the Barossa Local Service Area, chief inspector Shane Addison, said overall, police were “pleased” by community behaviour during the pandemic.
“Overall, we have been pleased with the public response,” he said.
“There have been no surges in a particular crime.”
Concordia CFS captain Robert Borgo agreed it had been quiet on an emergency services front.
“It has quietened right down after the really busy fire danger season that we had,” he said.
John Lawrence of the Prospect SES has been advocating for a Gawler SES unit for several years and said call-outs were slowly starting to pick up for the service.
“It’s been quiet, however things are starting to pick up with the wet weather,” he said.
Mr Piccolo thanked the region’s front-line workers for their service.
“On behalf of the community, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to our firefighters and other emergency service workers for all their efforts in protecting us and our town, state and country from extreme weather and disasters,” he said.
“Each service might play a different role, but are all critical to maintaining community safety.”
