Thank A First Responder Day 2023

First responders dedicate their lives to helping and protecting ordinary people. Those who work in emergency services such as firefighters, paramedics, marine rescue workers, law enforcement officers, lifesavers, SES workers and those working in other aspects of emergency response spend their lives helping our community.

What is Thank A First Responder Day?

Thank A First Responder Day is a day dedicated to showing appreciation for all that first responders do for our community and our nation.

In Australia, there are over 300,000 first responders – many of whom aren’t recognised for the hard work they do. Thank A First Responder Day aims to show appreciation to frontline workers for the work they do in protecting and supporting Australians.

Thank A First Responder Day 2023 is on 7th June 2023.

How do first responders keep Australians safe?

First responders play a critical role in providing essential services to the community. This can include responding to emergency situations, assisting during natural disasters, being the first on the scene at accidents, and many other aspects of emergency services.

Thank A First Responder Day aims to say ‘thank you’ to:

Law enforcement officers such as police officers that ensure the law is being upheld in our communities.
Paramedics and other medical staff that respond in emergency situations related to injury, illness and death.
Firefighters that battle fires to save and protect our lives, homes, community and bushland.
Marine rescue workers that ensure we’re safe when out on the water or that help find missing persons.
SES workers that respond to natural disasters and other emergencies, and help in the rescue and restoration efforts.
And the families of first responders who deserve the gratitude of their local communities, while their loved ones are out helping to protect the community.

The challenges of being a first responder

First responders face many challenges in their positions. The critical role played by first responders is not an easy one.

Physical risks. When responding to emergency situations, first responders can find themselves at physical risk of injury.
Long hours. Not only can emergency response workers be expected to work in physically demanding ways, but the shifts worked can be long and gruelling.
Mental health. The job of a first responder can come with the need to face hard situations such as death and injury. Witnessing challenging situations, as well as long hours, tough working conditions and being away from home, can lead to mental health challenges.
Lost time with family. Missing family events, spending extended time away from home, missing out on social gatherings – all of this is common for first responders who work long hours or drop everything to respond to an emergency.
High expectations and thinking on their feet. First responders are expected to make split second decisions, often under immense pressure. The expectations of the community, the people they are helping, and of their superiors can all weigh quite heavily, especially when something goes wrong, whether beyond their control or as a result of a decision they made.

The importance of thanks

Thank A First Responder Day aims to boost the morale of first responders, and show them how much we Australians appreciate their dedication and hard work in keeping us safe.
This Responders Day, you can get involved to spread gratitude for our first responders, and share the word about Thank A First Responder Day.

How to get involved

Individuals can get involved with Thank A First Responder Day by sharing a post on your social media channels. Use the hashtags #FirstResponderDay #TAFRD and #PowerOfThanks. If you want ideas for what to post, or to find some ready-to-post social media images, visit the Thank A First Responder Day website.

Businesses, schools or community groups can get involved by hosting an event for Thank A First Responder Day. Hosting an event is a great way of raising awareness about this important day, as well as collecting donations to support the wellbeing and mental health of first responders via Fortem Australia.

Schools, daycares or parents can become involved with the Thank A First Responder Day educational activity kits created for kids. This is a great way of teaching children about first responders and the important work they do for us and our community. Find the Thank A First Responder Day educational activities here.