NATIONAL MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL

AFAC will hold the National Memorial Service in Canberra on 12 May 2023 to honour the courage and sacrifice of fire and emergency service personnel who have died in the line of duty.

This annual event, held at the National Emergency Services Memorial on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin, is open to all AFAC members and the public to reflect and pay respect. It coincides with St Florian’s Day— St Florian is the patron saint of firefighters.

An AFAC Memorial Medallion will be presented to families of those who have died in the line of duty. The service will also acknowledge names added to the Memorial Wall.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has partnered with AFAC, the National Council for Fire and Emergency Services, to deliver a fatigue exemption notice enabling emergency service agencies to manage vehicle operations more effectively while preparing for emergencies.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the National Heavy Vehicle Volunteer Emergency Services Work Diary and Record Keeping Exemption Notice 2023 (No.1)—which came into effect on 1 February—exempts drivers of fatigue-regulated vehicles from the requirement to maintain a work diary and records under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) when they are performing an emergency management activity for emergency services.

Members of Parliament and the media are invited to attend to help promote the role of fire and emergency services and the commitment they make to keeping our communities safe.

For more information, visit www.afac.com.au/memorial.

The annual National Memorial Service is an opportunity to reflect on the commitment and sacrifice of fire and emergency services personnel.

“Recent events have clearly demonstrated the importance of preparing for emergencies, and this notice will help by cutting administrative red tape for drivers of these vehicles, who are often volunteers,” Mr Petroccitto said.

“The exemption provides efficiency benefits in non-emergency situations, such as relocating fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles pending deployment to an emergency event, or for training and maintenance.

AFAC members already implement fatigue-management policies and controls that replicate or are more restrictive than standard hours under the HVNL, so the exemption does not pose any additional safety risks.

View the National Heavy Vehicle Volunteer Emergency Services Work Diary and Record Keeping Exemption Notice 2023 (No.2) online: www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2023G00112.