News & Events

The annual Western Australia Fire and Emergency Services (WAFES) Conference celebrates the collaboration and camaraderie of our emergency services as we work towards creating a safer State. For more information visit WAFES Conference.

The WA Fire and Emergency Services Awards Gala Dinner is held annually during the WA Fire and Emergency Services Conference and brings together all our services to showcase outstanding individuals and teams.

For more information visit the WA Fire and Emergency Services Awards page on the WAFES Conference website.

WOW Day provides an opportunity for the community to recognise and celebrate the hard work and dedication of State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers throughout Australia.

The community can show their support in a very simple, but highly visible, way by wearing orange. This is the colour worn by more than 2,000 SES volunteers across Western Australia who provide assistance to the community during natural disasters and emergencies.

Every year the VFRS championships showcase the skill, speed and agility of our firefighting volunteers in a spirited sporting environment.

The Championships are the pinnacle of the VFRS brigade competition and encourage healthy rivalry among our volunteer firefighters.

The VFRS State Championships provide an opportunity to strengthen existing friendships and form new bonds with brigade members throughout Western Australia.

Requests for nominations for these Championships are usually sent out to Brigades about 8-10 weeks ahead of the Championships.

For further information, please call 9377 8900 or email admin@frsvols.asn.au

International Firefighters’ Day is observed on the 4th of May each year to pay respect to volunteer and career firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty. It also provides an opportunity to acknowledge current and past firefighters for their extraordinary commitment, exceptional courage and selfless pledge to serve their community.

In honour of International Firefighters’ Day 2021 DFES will mark the occasion with a memorial service at the Firefighters’ Memorial Grove in Kings Park on Sunday 2 May. The service includes the reading of the Fallen Firefighters’ Honour Roll which commemorates Western Australian volunteer and career firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

All current and retired DFES personnel, volunteers, families and friends are invited to attend the service to remember and pay their respects.

• Date: Sunday 2 May 2021
• Time: Memorial Service 11:15am for 11:30am start
• Light refreshments served from 12:30pm
• Location: Firefighters’ Memorial Grove, Forrest Drive, Kings Park
• Dress code: Please observe the 2021 International Firefighters Day dress code for the service
• RSVP by Friday 23 April 2021 to eventsandawards@dfes.wa.gov.au

Read more here.

National Volunteer Week is an opportunity to focus on and acknowledge the critical roles our emergency services volunteers perform and to formally thank them for their enormous contribution to the community.

In Western Australia there are more than 27,000 emergency services volunteers. This special week is also an opportunity to thank the families, friends and employers of our own volunteers (including those who are self-employed) for the backing they provide to volunteering, by allowing the volunteers to do their jobs.

The DFES Volunteer Employer Recognition Awards (VERA) acknowledge the important contribution made by employers and self-employed volunteers in the delivery of emergency services in Western Australia.

More information is available here.

The Career National Medal and Emergency Services Diligent Service Ceremony provides an opportunity for DFES to recognise, celebrate and thank career emergency services personnel for giving their time to serve others and achieve their best for DFES and the community.