"The role of a firefighter in today's society - be it urban, rural, natural
environment, volunteer, career, industrial, defence force, aviation, motor sport,
or other is one of dedication, commitment and sacrifice - no matter what country
we reside and work in. In the fire service we fight together against one common
enemy - fire - no matter what country we come from, what uniform we wear or
what language we speak."
Lt JJ Edmondson, 1999
Firefighters dedicate their lives to the protection of life and property. Sometimes
that dedication is in the form of countless hours volunteered over many years,
in others it is many selfless years working in the industry. In all cases it
risks the ultimate sacrifice of a firefighter's life.
International Firefighters' Day (IFFD) is a time where the world's community
can recognise and honour the sacrifices that firefighters make to ensure that
their communities and environment are as safe as possible. It is also a day
in which current and past firefighters can be thanked for their contributions.
International Firefighters' Day is observed each year on 4th May. On this date
you are invited to remember the past firefighters who have died while serving
our community or dedicated their lives to protecting the safety of us all. At
the same time, we can show our support and appreciation to the firefighters
world wide who continue to protect us so well throughout the year.
By proudly wearing and displaying blue and red ribbons pinned together or by
participating in a memorial or recognition event, we can show our gratitude
to firefighters everywhere.

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