Donations and charities

Donations

Our core response activities are funded by a mix of funding from state and local government and the insurance industry. We do not solicit donations for our own core activities. We only accept donations (usually in the form of sponsorship) for certain community safety prevention programs.

Further information on our policy for manage gifts and benefits can be read in our Managing Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality Policy and Procedure (PDF).

Bushfire related donations

The NSW Rural Fire Service is the lead combat agency for bushfires in NSW. Information about bushfire related donations can be found on their website www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/about-us/fundraising [external link].

Bushfires and scams

There are currently a wide range of appeals raising funds for people and animals affected by the bushfires. Unfortunately, some of these are scams. Further information about scams can be found on the ACCC website here: https://www.accc.gov.au/update/bushfires-and-scams [external link]

Fundraising

As part of our community involvement, many of our personnel regularly make personal donations as well as help to raise funds for selected external organisations. These external organisations include:

  • Burns Unit, Sydney Children’s Hospital Network
  • Burns Unit, John Hunter Hospital
  • Motor Neurone Disease (MND) organisation
  • Cancer Council for NSW
  • Australian Red Cross
  • RSPCA NSW
  • Salvation Army (Christmas Appeal)
  • Children’s Hospital (Randwick)
  • Smith Family
  • Children’s Hospital (Westmead)
  • Rescue Helicopter (Hunter, MNC)
  • Rescue Helicopter (South)
  • Special Olympics NSW

These organisations were chosen because of their connection to our work. If you have an enquiry about fundraising, please contact The Office of the Commissioner. Phone (02) 9265 2999 or e-mail info@fire.nsw.gov.au

Individual fire stations sometimes participate in and support particular local community fundraising initiatives. This is a matter for local Zone Commanders and Station Commanders to consider, in accordance with our policies and procedures. Requests for involvement of local firefighters in fundraising should be made to your local fire station.

Beat The Burn

The Beat the Burn campaign began in 2006, when two firefighters from Hurstville rode 400 km from Campbelltown to Wagga Wagga to raise funds for the Burns Unit at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Since then, firefighters have continued this effort each year, raising funds to support research, specialised equipment and care for children with serious burns.

Beat the Burn is now a year-round campaign that raises funds, shares prevention messages and builds awareness of burn injuries in children. We are committed to supporting this work and improving outcomes for young burn survivors and their families.

Their offical website can be found here: https://beattheburn.org [external link]

Firies Climb for MND

The Firies Climb for MND is an annual event where firefighters and members of the community raise money and awareness for motor neurone disease (MND) research at Macquarie University. The first Firies Climb took place in 2015 when firies climbed the Sydney Tower Eye, and created their own challenges. The climb now has a new home at Scenic World, Katoomba with the challenge to climb the gruelling Furber Stairs.

Their offical website can be found here: https://firiesclimbformnd.org.au [external link]

All funds raised go towards research and clinical trials at Macquarie University’s Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research.

Raffles

Members of the public often ring us because they have been contacted, usually by phone, to buy raffle tickets ‘to support the firefighters.’ We do not run raffles. People are urged to be careful when responding to any such invitations. In particular:

  • try to identify exactly who is asking you for the money (ie if they say firefighters, ask which fire service or brigade specifically, and ring to check if this is true);
  • be very careful about giving personal financial information such as credit card and bank account details.

The Rural Fire Service Association (RFSA) is a non-profit group which runs raffles to provide financial support to families of volunteers who are injured fighting fires. The RFSA has no connection with FRNSW. If you have been contacted about a raffle for firefighters, you can contact the RFSA office on (02) 4722 2122 or check their website at www.rfsa.org.au [external link] to check whether the call is genuine.

Community support

The Burns Unit, The Children's Hospital at Westmead

Voluntary payroll deductions from members of FRNSW and additional proceeds from other fundraising activities, including FRNSW Band, are presented annually to Westmead Hospital’s No. 2 Bandaged Bear Station.

Western Plains Zoo

We sponsor the Asian short-clawed otter at Dubbo’s Western Plains Zoo. This sponsorship allows us to place fire safety messages outside these animal exhibits. This has proved a cost-effective way to reach large numbers of visitors to the zoos each year with fire safety messages. The sponsorship also underlines our wider role in protecting the environment from the dangers posed by hazardous material incidents.
Taronga and Western Plains Zoos [external link]