Today is Thank a First Responder Day! Join us in recognising the incredible staff and volunteers that keep our community safe.

A new national warning system is being tested today in the ACT. The test will take place at 10:30 am near the Molonglo Emergency Services Station. If you are in the test area, or neighbouring suburbs including Duffy, Wright, Coombs and Holder, your mobile devices, such as mobile phones, tablets and smart watches, may receive a test alert. Phones and devices that receive the test alert may vibrate and emit a loud, siren-like sound that will last for about 10 seconds. This is part of planned trials of the system, to ensure it works when it matters most. AusAlertlert is designed to deliver faster alerts, reach more people and remain reliable even during network congestion. Learn more: ausalert.gov.au/

Being a firefighter with ACT Fire & Rescue takes more than physical strength. 💪 Last week, ACTF&R Recruit College 53 put teamwork, communication and decision-making to the test across two very different training environments. Recruits continued their structural firefighting training, focusing on reading conditions, high-rise fires and decision-making under pressure. They also completed a remote exercise at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, where they were required to navigate, communicate and problem solve as a crew while working against the clock. The exercise finished with a 3km rescue and medical assist scenario, using a range of firefighting, rescue and teamwork skills developed throughout their training. Find out what it takes to become a firefighter with ACT Fire & Rescue - esa.act.gov.au/ReadyWillingA… 📸 Matt De Waard

AusAlert is a new national warning system that uses the latest technology to send emergency messages to compatible mobile devices. There are two levels of alert: ⚠️ Priority Alert 🚨 Critical Alert So, what’s the difference? 🤔 ⚠️ A priority alert is used when there is a high level of threat. You can turn off notifications for Priority Alerts in your phone settings, and your device won't vibrate or make the sound if it is on ‘silent’ or ‘do not disturb’. 🚨 A critical alert is the highest level of warning.  Your mobile device will vibrate and make a loud siren-like warning sound for about 10 seconds, even if it is on ‘silent’ or ‘do not disturb’. You can’t turn off Critical Alerts. A Priority Alert test is scheduled at 10:30 am on Wednesday 10 June 2026 near Molonglo Emergency Services Station. If you are in the test area, or neighbouring suburbs including Duffy, Wright, Coombs and Holder, your mobile devices, such as mobile phones, tablets and smart watches, may receive a test alert. If receiving a Priority Alert might disrupt you or cause you or a family member to feel unsafe, you can choose to opt out. Find out more ausalert.gov.au/community-re…

Three members of the ACT Emergency Services Agency have been recognised in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours, announced by the Governor-General of Australia today. The awards celebrate a variety of accomplishments, but all recipients share common traits - including selflessness, excellence and a commitment to service. The 2026 Kings Birthday Honour recipients are: 🏅 Mr Matthew Shonk (ACTF&R), awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) 🏅 Mr David Pennock (ACTRFS), awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) 🏅 Mr Patrick Coffey (ACTSES), awarded the Emergency Services Medal (ESM) Read more about the deserving recipients on the ESA website - esa.act.gov.au/2026-kings-bi…

Motor Vehicle Incident - Mount Ainslie There's been a motor vehicle incident on Mount Ainslie Drive. Mount Ainslie Drive is currently closed in both directions and will be for some time. esa.act.gov.au/node/6541

AusAlert is a new national warning system that uses the latest technology to send emergency messages to compatible mobile devices. It will be ready to use in October 2026, but before it launches, the National Emergency Management Agency needs to test the system in communities across Australia. A test is scheduled at 10:30 AM on Wednesday 10 June 2026 near the Molonglo Emergency Services Station. If you are in the test area, or neighbouring suburbs including Duffy, Wright, Coombs and Holder, your mobile devices, such as mobile phones, tablets and smart watches, may receive a test alert. The test alert may cause devices to vibrate and include a loud, siren-like sound that lasts about 10 seconds. If this could disrupt you or cause you or a loved one to feel unsafe, please turn off your mobile devices or switch them to aeroplane mode before the scheduled test time of 10:30 AM, and leave them off for at least one hour. As this is just a test, you don’t need to do anything, but in an actual disaster you should follow the alert instructions to keep yourself and others safe. To learn what an AusAlert sounds like, visit ausalert.gov.au

Becoming a firefighter means being Ready, Willing, and Able - no matter the conditions. On a rainy evening, when most people would be staying dry inside, ACT Fire & Rescue Recruit College 53 was completing series of night drills involving vertical access, medical assists, ladder slide extrications, road crash rescue and a scenario involving a multi storey structure fire with 15 persons reported missing. ACT Fire & Rescue recruits complete 25 weeks of intensive training, ☀️ day and 🌙 night, ⛈️ rain, ❄️ hail or ☀️ shine, to prepare them for the real emergencies they will respond to across Canberra. Find out what it takes to become a firefighter with ACT Fire & Rescue - esa.act.gov.au/ReadyWillingA…

The ACT Rural Fire Service recently partnered with a Ngunnawal custodian to carry out a cultural burn at St Mark’s Native Grassland 🔥, to reduce fuel loads and support biodiversity. Cultural burning, also known as cool burning, is a First Nations land management technique that involves the intentional, controlled use of low-intensity fire to improve the health of the land and its people. The ACT Rural Fire Service supported and enabled the process by working in partnership with the traditional custodians of the land to develop the burn plan, advise on weather conditions, and provide contingency resources to ensure the operation was conducted safely.

Today is Smoke Alarm Action Day – a reminder that only working smoke alarms save lives. 🔊 Every month – push the button to test the alarm 🧹 Every 6 months – vacuum dust off the alarm 🪫 Every year – replace lead or alkaline batteries ⚒️ Every 10 years – replace the alarm, regardless of its type. Remember, only working smoke alarms save lives. Learn more - esa.act.gov.au/smoke-alarms

It only takes 3 seconds to push the button. 🔥 Be smart and take part, check your smoke alarm is working. esa.act.gov.au/smoke-alarms

When was the last time you checked your smoke alarm? Firefighters from ACT Fire & Rescue are out in the community this weekend ahead of Smoke Alarm Action Day on 1 June. 1 in 4 fires attended by ACT Fire and Rescue since 2024 did not have a working smoke alarm. 📆 Check – the alarm’s expiration date; 🧹 Clean – vacuum around the alarm; 🪫 Change – replace lead or alkaline batteries; 🔊Test – push the test button and make sure the alarm is working. ACT Fire & Rescue recommends installing interconnected smoke alarms in all bedrooms, living spaces, and corridors, on every level, and even the garage For more information visit esa.act.gov.au/smoke-alarms

Earlier today (28 May 2026), ACT Fire & Rescue was called to Masterman Street in Bruce, for an incident involving a recycling truck. Materials, including paper, cardboard and plastics had caught alight in the compartment of the truck, and then been dumped onto the roadway to protect the vehicle. Firefighters worked to extinguish the materials on the road. There were no injuries, and the truck wasn’t damaged in the incident. The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined, but it’s a timely reminder to avoid hazardous materials of any kind entering the waste stream. When items are compacted during waste collection, one spark can cause a fire. Don’t bin batteries or other flammable materials. 🔥

Motor Vehicle Incident - Erindale Drive There's been a motor vehicle incident on Erindale Drive, near the intersection of Amsinck Street and Harricks Crescent. Erindale Drive is closed in both directions. esa.act.gov.au/node/6539

Being an ACTRFS volunteer not only helps your community, but it also provides you with access to a number of training opportunities. Gary, the current president of the Hall Brigade, has jumped at every upskilling opportunity during his time as a volunteer firefighter.

Protecting her home and her community. 🔥 After feeling anxious during the 2019/20 bushfire season, Jemima volunteered for her local Community Fire Unit and has never looked back.

Paramedics from the ACT Ambulance Service now have access to mechanical CPR devices - designed to deliver regular chest compressions to someone whose heart has stopped. A recent exercise tested the new capability with a simulated cardiac arrest in a home. Crews treated and transported the patient to hospital, utilising the Corpuls device to maintain effective CPR throughout the process. It’s a new capability designed to support paramedics during difficult resuscitations, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Adam is the Commander of the Rivers State Emergency Service Unit. On Wear Orange Wednesday, join us in saying thank you to all the selfless State Emergency Service volunteers who keep our community safe.