Deputy Captain of the Windellama RFS Scott Molloy, right, with former RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, left and fellow brigade members Thomas Shannon and Kym Wake. Photo: Facebook.
To those who knew him, he was the best of men. Scott Molloy was a good mate, devoted family man, a true gentleman.
As a member of the Windellama Rural Fire Service (RFS) brigade, he also helped save countless lives in the Southern Tablelands region of NSW where his brigade was based – and wherever else his crew was called out to fight fires.
Mr Molloy’s name and the names of 24 other emergency service members, including six members of the NSW RFS, were inscribed on the National Emergency Services Memorial in Canberra on Thursday 1 May, in recognition of their ultimate sacrifice while protecting the community.
Commissioner of the RFS Rob Rogers said: “The service of Charles Murphy, David Edwards, Jefferay Maher, Scott Molloy, Shane Thomas and Russell Hoyle, who died as a result of illnesses associated with their work, will never be forgotten,” he said.
Established in 2004, the memorial honours the thousands of Australians who were killed in the line of duty.
For Mr Molloy’s wife Cassandra, who attended the event on Thursday with their children, it was the most emotional of days.
“My husband would have been in awe of it all,” she said, of the man, a former policeman, she had been married to for 25 years. “He had a strong bond to this group; they were a different breed.
“He lived for his work.”
She said the family “had a bit of a proud giggle” when officials talked about the dedication of the emergency workers and how many of them had to miss so many family occasions.
“I remember during the really big fires it was our grandson’s first Christmas,” she said. “Scott came back to see him and give him a present. Then he quickly had something to eat and went straight back to the fire.
“That’s the sort of man he was.”
Cassandra said an important part of her husband’s life was mentoring young people.
“He was definitely dedicated to helping them all,” she said.
“At his funeral, I met some of the younger kids who all told me about how he helped them.
“He was a wonderful man, my husband.”
The Windellama community was in mourning last year when Mr Molloy died from multiple myeloma cancer which had been linked to his firefighting activities, with many remembering the man who did so much for others.
“Scott will be remembered for his great sense of humour, commitment, caring nature, mentoring of brigade members and his dedication to his RFS family and the community of Windellama,” a brigade spokesperson said at the time.
“A member of the Windellama brigade for over 20 years, Scott was an important part of our brigade. Scott received the National Emergency Medal for his contribution to the unprecedented 2019–2020 bushfire crisis where Windellama firefighters worked around the clock for almost three months.
“When off the fireground Scott slept at the fire station to help restock and service the trucks as they rotated through crews and picked up and delivered spares to the fireground.
“Scott also received the NSW Premier’s Bushfire Emergency Citation, the NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner’s citation and the Windellama Brigade Above and Beyond Award.”
Established in 2018, the Memorial Wall, located on the northern side of Lake Burley Griffin, is a permanent reminder of the more than 650 fire and emergency personnel who lost their lives while keeping communities safe.
The flag at the Windellama fire station flew at half-mast in honour of Scott Molloy who died last year. Photo: Facebook.
“Each of these individuals embodied the very best of our service – courage, compassion and an enduring sense of duty,” Commissioner Rogers said.
“Today is about remembering their sacrifice, supporting their families, and recognising the legacy they leave behind within the RFS and the wider community.”
The families of each firefighter were presented with AFAC (National Council for Fire and Emergency Services) Memorial Medallions.
“These medallions, like the memorial itself, are a symbol of our gratitude and respect,” Commissioner Rogers said. “They represent the selflessness of those who risk everything to help others and the deep loss felt by their families, friends, and fellow RFS members.”
