Praise is high for firefighters

By Tania Martin
KALORAMA-MT DANDENONG CFA volunteers were given a Christmas night to remember last week, as businessman and SkyHigh owner John Connellan threw them a dinner party.
Calling the night A Winters Day for the CFA, Mr Connellan said it was a fitting way to kick start SkyHigh’s month long Christmas in July festivities by replacing the dinner many CFA volunteers missed because they were fighting bush fires.
Mr Connellan has called on other businesses across Victoria to set aside a day to celebrate the CFA volunteers and all they do to protect their communities.
“I am putting all of country Victoria and everyone across the state on notice to participate in A Winters Day for the CFA and make it part of their annual calendar in July,” he said.
Mr Connellan said the Thursday night dinner was to recognise the fact that places such as SkyHigh are dependent on the tireless work of the volunteer firefighters who protect the country regions during the hotter periods of the Christmas holidays.
He said the volunteers often miss Christmas dinner because of their efforts in ensuring brushfires do not ruin anyone else’s Christmas.
Kalorama-Mt Dandenong CFA volunteers and their families enjoyed a night of laughter and enjoying a traditional Christmas dinner and good wine.
Monbulk MP James Merlino said he thought A Winters Day for the CFA was a wonderful idea and hoped that it would spark similar festivities across the state.
Mr Merlino said firefighters don’t seek the spotlight but just get on with the job of protecting the community from bush fires and that the dinner was a wonderful way to say thank you.
CFA chief executive officer Neil Bibby said the idea for A Winters Day for the CFA was a big step forward for the firefighters and gave them recognition for their tireless work in protecting homes and towns from fires.
Mr Connellan said the night was to celebrate the CFA as an Australian institution.
“The fire siren goes off, and you don’t make any excuses, you just jump in the fire truck and risk your lives for Aussie men and women who you’ve never met before,” he said. “We salute you.”