Ken Bodinnar, a 73-year-old former State Emergency Service worker from Paynesville, is fighting to have his workers' compensation claim recognised. His doctors believe his small-cell lung cancer resulted from years of service, including the Black Saturday fires. The insurer rejected the claim, and a medical report later found his exposure to firefighting smoke and diesel fumes was a significant contributing factor. The dispute will go to trial in November. Mr Bodinnar is in intensive care in Geelong and hopes the claim will support his family.
Will Lee has served 56 years with the NSW Rural Fire Service, which he began after helping fight a major fire in the northern Illawarra in 1968. He joined the Austinmer Bushfire Brigade in 1970 and went on to hold several leadership roles, including Group Captain. He was recognised with a National Medal with a fourth clasp at a recent ceremony, where his daughter Belinda Lee also received a 40-year Long Service Medal. Will now focuses on training young firefighters. He says the job of an old firefighter is to teach young firefighters to become old firefighters.
Firefighters have told MPs that limited water supplies slowed their response to wildfires during the UK's hottest summer on record. Phil Garrigan, chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, said fires spread faster because of the shortage. A survey found 81% of fire and rescue services had changed emergency plans where water access was a concern. A parliamentary committee has called for a national framework setting out water companies' duties during major fires. The government says it is holding a summit on wildfire preparedness.
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The small New South Wales town of Berrigan is widely recognised as the birthplace of volunteer bush firefighting. Its brigade, formed in 1896 by baker John Thomson, responded to fires with volunteers beating flames using hand-made tools. In 1900, a meeting at the Royal Hotel formalised the brigade, which later evolved into the NSW Rural Fire Service. A memorial marking the town's role was unveiled in 2001. The brigade marked its 125th anniversary in September 2025.
The Victorian government has announced its biggest-ever Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program, with more than $31 million shared across 350 projects. Funding will go to CFA, VICSES, Life Saving Victoria and volunteer marine search and rescue groups. A further $53 million will provide a fleet of 60 firefighting aircraft, more than 600 ultralight firefighting vehicles and 130 extra forest firefighters. Minister Paul Edbrooke said the opposition Liberal-One Nation Coalition would cut emergency services grants.
Bianca McCosh, an operations officer with Forest Fire Management Victoria and a Colac district resident, has had a demanding year. She worked on the Otways Complex Fires response before returning last month from her first overseas posting, a six-week deployment. McCosh, a Colac district firefighter, assisted at several firegrounds across the United States during that period. The Colac Herald reports that the deployment was her first international one, marking a significant step in her career in fire management.
Merv Bonnell, a firefighter in the Noosa Shire, has retired after nearly 50 years of service. He was a founding firefighter in the Noosa Heads Fire Station and spent nine years training new firefighters. Bonnell recalled his career, including a head-on crash, wildfires in Victoria, and a plane crash in Imbil. He also shared his experience fighting fires in the US and the importance of camaraderie and integrity in the fire service.
