NSW Rural Fire Service Association

The NSW RFS, a leading combat agency for bushfires in NSW, has played an integral role in the state’s history and landscape for over 100 years. Working in close collaboration with other agencies, the NSW RFS responds to various emergencies, including structure fires, motor vehicle accidents, and storms within rural fire districts. Widely recognized as the world’s largest volunteer fire service, NSW RFS ensures its members receive extensive training to handle emergencies with the utmost competence. 

To protect the community and the environment, they minimize the impact of fires and other emergencies by providing the highest standards of training, community education, prevention, and operational capability. Their experience and expertise in disaster management encompass specific areas:

1) Emergency Relief and Response: Providing medical support, psychosocial support, food relief, emergency food rations, and shelter management.

2) Livelihood Recovery: Offering alternative livelihood support and capacity building to restore or strengthen people’s livelihoods. 

The NSW RFS has been offering practical support to Rural Fire Service volunteers involved in flood work by providing clean t-shirts, socks, and additional meal options. They also extend financial assistance to members whose homes have been affected by flooding. Similar support is provided for fire-related events, although recently, their members have been more engaged in flood-related work. Following significant events, they host family day events for their members and families, providing an opportunity to relax and decompress. They also facilitate access to chaplaincy, counseling, and other health support services. 

Operating primarily at the regional level, the NSW RFS has a particular focus on the state of New South Wales. Their operations are confined to New South Wales and instances where the NSW Rural Fire Service, whose volunteers are their members, is called upon by the NSW Government to respond. Within these parameters, the NSW RFS is capable of swiftly providing support to its members engaged in disaster operations. In the 2021/22 period, NSW RFS members attended more than 22,000 incidents across the state, providing fire and emergency services to approximately 95 percent of NSW. Their mission is to provide a world standard of excellence in delivering a volunteer-based community fire and emergency service.