NSW Rural Fire Service volunteer firefighter Samuel McPaul died when fierce winds from a fire near Jingellic overturned the fire truck he was travelling in during the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires. Photo: Greater Hume Shire.
A memorial and pin oak-lined avenue of honour on a stretch of road that follows the Murray River, near Jingellic, commemorates NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) firefighter Samuel (Sam) McPaul.
On 30 December 2019, Sam was part of the firefighting contingent battling the Green Valley Talmalmo blaze in the small border town near the NSW-Victoria border, when fierce winds from the fire overturned the fire truck he was travelling in with two other NSW RFS members.
Sam was tragically killed that day. The expectant father was the third NSW Rural Fire Service volunteer firefighter to die in what would be known as the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires which destroyed more than 5.5 million hectares across NSW and claimed 26 lives.
The NSW RFS was still reeling from the loss of two of its volunteer firefighters – Deputy Captain Geoffrey Keaton and firefighter Andrew O’Dwyer – who died on 19 December after a tree hit the fire truck they were in at Buxton, southwest of Sydney.
As the fires continued to burn, that volunteer firefighter toll would mount as three American aerial firefighters, Ian McBeth, Paul Hudson and Rick De Morgan Jr onboard a large air tanker that stalled and crashed after a retardant drop in the NSW Snowy Mountains died on 23 January 2020.
The NSW RFS this week marked the fifth anniversary of the loss of Andrew O’Dwyer and Geoffrey Keaton by reflecting on the Black Summer fires, which from July 2019 to June 2020, saw 13,105 bush and grass fires burn across the state.
But it was the Christmas and new year period that marked one of the most devastating chapters in its history and one that RFS Commissioner, Rob Rogers, described as an unprecedented tragedy, testing the RFS in ways it could never have imagined.
He said each year, as the anniversary of the Black Summer bushfires approached, was a time for reflection and tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“We mourn the loss of lives, especially those of our brave RFS volunteers and aircrew who gave everything to protect our communities. Their courage and selflessness will never be forgotten,” Commissioner Rogers said.
He said the extraordinary dedication of RFS members and resilience of affected communities should also be honoured.
“We saw unprecedented fire behaviour, destruction and loss, but we also witnessed the support of people from across Australia and the world,” he said.
That translated into an international fundraising response with more than $100 million raised for the RFS and Brigades Donations Trust.
These funds have been instrumental in improving fire mitigation and equipping firefighters with advanced helmets, respiratory protection, and other critical tools. They also supported the establishment of the RFS Benevolent Fund to assist firefighters and their families in times of need.
Enhanced training, improved community awareness campaigns and bolstered aerial firefighting capabilities are also among the measures aimed at preventing a repeat of the catastrophic season.
Commissioner Rogers also stressed the need for ongoing vigilance as another fire season approached.
“Prepare your homes, update your bushfire survival plan, and stay informed,” he said.
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