Member Services 
The 2025 Australia Day awards saw 732 Australians celebrated and honoured, among them were 6 CFA members who were awarded the prestigious Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM). VFBV congratulates these members on being recognised for their contribution to CFA and the wider Victorian community.
Di Billingsley AFSM – for almost 30 years Di has been a member of the Boolarra Fire Brigade, including serving as Captain for 7 years. Di is an experienced volunteer trainer and assessor who in addition to training CFA members has also been deployed to the Northern Territory in 2023 to train Northern Territory volunteer firefighters and rangers. Di is a member of the CFA Women’s Advisory Committee and a mentor in the Captains Peer Mentoring Program. You can read more about Di here. https://news.cfa.vic.gov.au/news/dedicated-volunteer-and-esteemed-trainer-recognised-for-service
Fiona Burns AFSM – a CFA member since 2003, Fiona is recognised for her distinguished contribution to CFA holding many roles including firefighter, Lieutenant, Captain, Deputy Group Officer, Junior Leader, and Group Officer. Fiona has developed and presented leadership programs which enhance the diversity of membership, knowledge and practice of CFA members, other emergency service agencies and also members of the pubic. You can read more about Fiona here. https://news.cfa.vic.gov.au/news/volunteer-leader-awarded-afsm-medal
Lisa Hicks AFSM – Lisa has been a volunteer with CFA since 1975, firstly with the Narre Warren North brigade and now as a member of the Pakenham brigade. Lisa has been recognised for her sustained and dedicated service holding many roles over the years including brigade secretary, community safety officer, communications officer, firefighter, volunteer instructor and BASO. Lisa has also played a key role in the establishment and ongoing operations of the Cardina Group Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus refilling station and is heavily involved in the delivery of the Fire Safe Kids program to schools and kindergartens in across the Cardina Group. You can read more about Lisa here. https://news.cfa.vic.gov.au/news/cfa-volunteer-and-educator-awarded-asfm
Mark King AFSM - as a CFA member for more than 30 years, Mark has held a variety of roles including firefighter, Secretary, Lieutenant, Captain, Strike Team Leader, Sector Commander, Divisional Commander, VFBV State Councillor, Fire Investigator, Trainer and Assessor and Health Team leader. Mark was instrumental in introducing the South East Region’s first Health Monitoring and Rehabilitation Unit which has made an impact in reducing the incidence of heat-related incidents among CFA members as well as members of other emergency services who many also be involved in protracted emergency responses. You can read more about Mark here. https://news.cfa.vic.gov.au/news/mark-king-honoured-with-australian-fire-service-medal
Tim Smith AFSM – Tim is recognised for his contribution to fire services across Australia and New Zealand alongside his contribution to CFA as both a volunteer and staff member. During more than 40 years of service Tim has served as a firefighter, Lieutenant, Captain and Deputy Group Officer with the Hurstbridge brigade and Nillumbik Group. As well as serving as a firefighter, Tim has been a mentor and coach for competition teams and has contributed as a mentor to CFA’s Women in Leadership mentoring program to develop potential and skills in other CFA members. You can read more about Tim here. https://news.cfa.vic.gov.au/news/volunteer-veteran-receives-australia-s-highest-fire-honour
Mark Gunning AFSM - as Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) for District 17, Mark has been recognised for his contribution to the safety, wellbeing and recovery of communities during times of emergency. Mark has been a member of CFA for more than 44 years and during that time has provided incident leadership during some of Victoria’s largest emergencies including 2009 Black Saturday Fires, 2018 St Patrick’s Day fires, 2019/20 Black summer fires, 2011 and 2022 floods and the COVID-19 pandemic. You can read more about Mark here. https://news.cfa.vic.gov.au/news/respected-leader-honoured-with-afsm
Congratulations is also extended to other Victorian’s who were honoured with the Australian Fire Service Medal from other fire agencies, Peter Brick and John Wood from Forest Fire Management Victoria and Benjamin Schimdt and Murray Talbot from Fire Rescue Victoria. Two CFA members were also awarded the Emergency Services Medal (ESM), Donald Harrison OAM for his contribution to Australian Volunteer Coast Guard and Anthony Hodder for his contribution to Life Saving Victoria.
Other past and present CFA members who have been honoured on Australia Day include Gwendoline Blandthorn, Neville Seymour and John Wheal who were each awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).
Nominations for AFSM's
Nominations for AFSM's are accepted at any time through CFA's Honours and Awards Committee.
The AFSM honours the distinguished service of members of fire services who make an exceptionable contribution to their communities. The AFSM recognises those whose service is above and beyond the normal zealous and faithful discharge of normal or ordinary service, either in the short or long term.
CFA volunteers are often modest and reluctant to seek out recognition for the service they have provided to their community and may not have a realistic appreciation of the impact they have had on CFA, their community, within VFBV or your Brigade or Group. They’re not in it for the honour or glory, but it’s up to each of us to ensure we take the time to say ‘thank-you’ to those people who have stepped up and help inspire us all to do better.
If you know a quiet achiever who has contributed to CFA, who goes above and beyond what could be reasonably expected of someone in a similar position, please consider nominating them for an AFSM.
The Australian Honours system has been designed to break down artificial barriers and open the Australian Honours to all parts of our society. Any member of the community can nominate any other Australian citizen for an award.
It is also critically important we encourage nominations for groups who are typically under-represented in Australian Honours like the AFSM. In particular we are encouraging a greater gender mix.
Women in particular are under-represented in AFSM’s awarded when we consider the thousands of women within the fire services across the country. And while things are improving, much more can be done.
There are so many exceptional CFA women and men deserving to be recognised, so please consider nominating someone you feel is deserving.
A common misconception is that only those members who have decades worth of service are recognised by the Honours system. The AFSM is not a long-service award, its sole criterion is distinguished service. And while prolonged service forms part of the key criteria, ‘prolonged’ is considered by the honour and awards committee’s to be taken in context as to what is considered ‘longer than usual’ and in context of what is ‘above and beyond’ the normal or ordinary service expected. Exceptional service that is sustained over a period of time can be considered as satisfying the criteria. For example, has the members contribution been in excess of expectations for a ‘normal’ member and over what duration? The Committee will consider the nature of the service or achievement within the context of a member’s service history when weighing up the various criteria.
This is especially important for women within CFA who may have their service overlooked simply because they haven’t been a Captain or Group Officer for 30+ years. While these are important leadership roles – our service is a team environment, and everyone’s contribution is valued.
Nothing should take away from the incredible achievement decade long service is, but the Honours system is designed to recognise those that make a significant contribution, and to represent the things that our communities believe to be deserving of recognition, including from those who are perhaps trailblazers for others to follow. Think of those people who have pushed the boundaries or have been first to reach and hold leadership positions that has been inspirational to those around them. For example, think of members who have overcome additional barriers, like English not being their first language and who have toiled away to learn the language and become masterful communicators designing new innovative community safety engagements to CALD communities and serving as a role model for other community members. Who are the people you look up to? Who are the people who have really made a difference in your Brigade or Group?
Distinguished service includes service that is above and beyond and can be short-term or prolonged. It is service that can be exemplified by; responsibility for an outstanding event that has proven to be of significant benefit to the fire service or community; development of a new system, procedure or technique that is unique and made a significant contribution to the fire service; or outstanding leadership in the encouragement and development of others, particularly youth within the fire services.
While it can seem daunting to nominate a potential recipient, some guiding principles that could assist in completing a nomination for an AFSM are:
- In what role(s) has the nominee excelled?
- How has the nominee demonstrated service worthy of recognition?
- How has the nominee’s contribution affected a particular field, locality, brigade, group or community at large?
- Over what period has the nominee made a major commitment?
- Has the nominee’s contribution been recognised elsewhere?
- What makes this person stand out from others?
- What specific examples can be provided to show how the nominee’s contribution(s) have been outstanding?
Nominations for awards are strictly confidential. The person being nominated should not be approached for information or advised of the confidential nomination at any stage of the process.
Additional Resources to Assist
Guide to Preparing Nominations for the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM)
Want to discuss a potential nomination or need some more information? Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
About the Australian Fire Service Medal
Introduced in 1988, the Australian Fire Service Medal recognised distinguished service by members of Australian fire services and is awarded to both volunteer and paid members. The award recognised the distinguished service by members of a State or Territory Fire Service, a Fire Service of an agency of the Commonwealth, and the Fire Services of the External Territories of Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling Island) and Norfolk Island.
The medal is awarded twice a year as part of the Australia Day award and King's Birthday award announcements.
Criteria for the Australian Fire Service Medal
To be considered for this award it would be expected that the nominee has given service beyond the norm exemplified by:
- Prolonged service distinguished by exceptional performance in a particular area that has proved significant benefit to the fire service; and one or more of the following.
- Responsibility for and management of an outstanding/exceptional event that has proven to be of significant benefit to the fire service, a community or community safety generally.
- Development of a new system, or procedure, or technique that is unique and has made a significant contribution to the fire service, a community or community safety generally.
- Outstanding leadership in the encouragement and development of others, particularly youth, within the fire service and the fostering and furthering of the aims of the fire service to the long-term benefit of the fire service and the community.
- Demonstrated creativity in the development and implementation of innovative changes that have made a significant contribution to the fire service, fire/emergency operations, or the interests of community safety.
