Christmas 2023 message: DFES Mid West superintendent Mark Bowen thanks volunteers, reminds people to be safe

I would like to thank the responders from all the different services who sacrifice time with their families and friends to be available at work and on-call over the festive period. I thank you for your service to others in our community in their time of need. We can all help these dedicated people have a quiet Christmas day by being prepared and responsible for our actions, whether that be in preparing your boat for that outing, driving safely on the roads or having your homes prepared for a bushfire. If you get the chance over the coming week, try to thank an emergency service responder if you pass them in your travels. The vast majority of them in the country are volunteers and are probably your neighbour, someone in the local business you use or the farmer down the road. From all the Department of Fire and Emergency Services staff and our wonderful volunteers across the State, I wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy and safe new year.