Aboriginal Nation naming on our fleet
Published: 30th January 2023
When our crews roll out the doors of our fire stations, their trucks will now acknowledge the Aboriginal Nation names of the land on which we work, alongside the geographical location. The agency-wide roll out is an important step towards greater recognition of our cultural history and respect for the traditional owners of land on which we operate each and every day.
FRNSW is committed to strengthening our partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and this initiative is a positive step towards representing and better reflecting the communities that we serve.
Each Indigenous name has been identified and confirmed with the assistance of community Elders, Aboriginal land councils and other cultural representatives. This important initiative also aligns with our core belief that diversity drives service quality, innovation and readiness.
Commissioner Paul Baxter said this is a step forward in reforms taking place across the agency to help recognise, support and advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“FRNSW is committed to strengthening our partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Recognising the traditional owners of the land First Nations people also offers an opportunity to reflect on how we can contribute to a brighter, more inclusive future – together,” said Commissioner Baxter.
It is important that we acknowledge the continual and committed contribution our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make within both Fire and Rescue NSW and their communities, and to recognise the support we should all be striving to give. This initiative has been driven by our own people who have dedicated their time, resources and knowledge to implement project.
To date, 43 appliances now display traditional place names and the initiative will continue to roll out on our fleet of fire trucks.
Under our five year Plus Plan strategy, FRNSW committed to improving workplace culture and ensuring that our values of respect, integrity, service and courage remain at the core of everything we do. While there is more work to be done, FRNSW is committed to making positive progress and Aboriginal Nation Naming of Trucks is one part of a wider project to better represent the community we serve.