AFL Emergency Services Match honours commitment of first responders

31/07/2025, 10:47 AM
VICSES volunteers from across Victoria gathered to complete a lap of honour of the Melbourne Cricket Ground as part of the recent AFL Emergency Services Match between Hawthorn and Carlton.

Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) volunteers from across the state took centre stage last week at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), as their tireless commitment and service to communities was celebrated as part of the annual AFL Emergency Services Match.

Embarking on a lap of honour in front of more than 50,000 football fans prior to the much-anticipated clash between Hawthorn and Carlton, VICSES volunteers joined colleagues from Victoria Police, Fire Rescue Victoria, Ambulance Victoria, Life Saving Victoria and other emergency service partners in showcasing their shared commitment to Victorians.

Volunteers paraded around the boundary on foot following a convoy of first responder resources which included a VICSES Tambo Valley Unit support vehicle, as fans applauded in acknowledgement of the vital role emergency services play in communities throughout Victoria.

Hosted by Hawthorn Football Club, the AFL Emergency Services Match has been a fixture of each season since 2019, allowing volunteers to engage and build relationships with like-minded first responders from across Victoria while reflecting and celebrating their service.

The united approach, with all first responders walking alongside each other, showcased the commitment of Victorian first responders to Work As One to support communities while bolstering inter-agency camaraderie and familiarity.

VICSES volunteers joined first responders from a range of services in taking to the field on 24 July.

While allowing community members to put faces to their local emergency service providers and promoting conversations around emergency preparedness, the event also preceded the Transport Accident Commission’s ‘Band Together’ round.

Placing a spotlight on the role of speeding as a contributing factor to fatal and serious injury crashes, the campaign saw local footballers and netballers across the state wear blue armbands at the weekend to reinforce the importance of safe driving practices.

Thursday’s match was also particularly apt time to acknowledge the service of volunteers across the state, after VICSES crews responded to more than 1,178 requests for assistance in the wake of damaging winds which swept across Victoria from Tuesday last week and into the weekend.

So far in July, VICSES volunteers have been called to more than 2,300 requests for assistance from their communities, including more than 1,300 storm-related incidents and 180 relating to road crash rescue.

To learn more about volunteering with VICSES, visit www.ses.vic.gov.au/join-us.

Quotes attributable to Sinclair Fernandes, VICSES Brimbank Unit volunteer:

“Walking around the MCG in our orange uniforms was a special show of solidarity with our emergency service partners, and it was fantastic to have so many fans in attendance expressing their support.

“Volunteering with VICSES is not something we do for recognition, but events like these allow volunteers to see and hear the support they have from their communities, and the positive impact our service has across the state.”