When bushfires threaten communities, it takes more than fire crews on the frontline to keep people safe. It takes coordination, care, and individuals willing to step forward, often at short notice, to support others in moments of uncertainty.

Over recent weeks, St John Ambulance Victoria volunteers did exactly that, deploying across the state to support communities and emergency services during significant bushfire activity. From emergency relief centres to health monitoring at staging areas, their presence made a meaningful difference to both community members and fellow responders.

These fires were fuelled by extreme and record-breaking weather conditions, with parts of Victoria enduring prolonged heatwaves and dangerous fire conditions. Towns such as Wodonga experienced up to 10 consecutive days above 40°C, while on 27 January the state recorded a scorching high of 48.9°C in north-west Victoria, surpassing the previous record of 48.8°C set during the devastating Black Saturday bushfires in 2009.

Supporting responders on the frontline: Corryong – Walwa Fire

One of the key deployments took place at the Corryong Staging Area, where St John volunteers provided health monitoring and first aid support to emergency responders working in hot, demanding conditions during the Walwa Fire.

The deployment ran from 18^th January to 4^th February. Thankfully the flexibility and dedication of volunteer teams allowed for split morning and evening shifts to meet operational needs.

For Jordan Berger, a St John volunteer and paramedic who deployed to Corryong, the role was both demanding and deeply purposeful.

“My role included monitoring firefighters’ health and ensuring they were safe enough to continue fighting the fires,” Jordan said.
“Simple consults, checking things like carbon monoxide levels and blood pressure, meant we could identify early signs of fatigue or illness and help the team stay safe and effective on the frontline.”

Beyond routine monitoring, Jordan and the team were also on standby to provide immediate care if needed.

“I was ready to provide aid on the fireline if required, making sure that even in the most dangerous situations, firefighters had access to high-quality care.”

Driving towards active fire zones was confronting, but it reinforced why volunteers train and prepare for these moments.

“It was nerve-wracking driving towards the smoke, but there was also a deep sense of purpose. In that moment, I knew exactly why I trained for this job.”

Caring for communities

At the Colac Emergency Relief Centre, St John volunteers provided first aid support to community members displaced by fire. Starting on 28^th January, the centre closed on Saturday, 31 January, concluding another critical chapter of the response.

At the Tallangatta Staging Ground Activation, St John’s volunteers maintained a constant presence over 17 consecutive days, covering 40 rostered shifts and contributing 204 hours of frontline support.

For many volunteers, this work extended beyond clinical care.

“Being there for people who had lost everything reminded me that sometimes the most important care is simply showing up during chaos and vulnerability,” Jordan reflected.

These moments, offering reassurance, listening, and being present, are often just as vital as physical first aid.

A statewide effort, now safely concluded

From Bannockburn and Grovedale to Wodonga, Whittlesea and Tallangatta, St John Ambulance Victoria volunteers provided extensive coverage across regional communities.

Volunteers delivered hundreds of hours of frontline support, including more than 200 hours across 50 shifts in Wodonga and 150 hours across 32 shifts in Whittlesea.

Sustained coverage was also maintained at Tallangatta alongside ongoing support at Emergency Relief Centres in Seymour (supporting communities impacted by the Longwood fire) and Corryong. Additional 24-hour coverage was provided in Bannockburn and Grovedale, ensuring continuous care for both communities and emergency responders.

Each response played an important role in supporting communities and emergency services during a difficult time. In total, more than 300 shifts were covered, with volunteers contributing over 1,200 hours of their own time to help keep others safe.

Behind these numbers are countless individual efforts, including volunteers who travelled long distances to assist.

“Some volunteers drove for full days across the state to help out,” Jordan said.
“I witnessed incredible dedication as volunteers spent weeks in devastated areas, ensuring communities had support when they needed it most.”

Working together under pressure

Bushfire responses rely on seamless collaboration between agencies, and St John volunteers worked alongside firefighters, police, incident management teams, councils, DEECA and other emergency services throughout the deployments.

“Putting on my greens comes with a great sense of pride,” Jordan shared.
“Working side by side with other agencies during large-scale emergencies is an incredible experience. The resilience, determination and professionalism shown by everyone involved reflected a deep commitment to protecting communities, and each other.”

That teamwork wasn’t limited to frontline deployments. Behind the scenes, coordination and problem-solving were just as critical.

Riley Clarke, who supported the response from the St John Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at State Office in Notting Hill, saw this collaboration firsthand.

“The EOC is very different from local or on-the-ground deployments,” Riley explained.
“It involves working with multiple teams to troubleshoot and problem-solve issues as they arise, especially when several agencies are involved.”

Riley also acknowledged the volunteers who made themselves available to deploy, often with little notice.

“We really appreciated everyone who put their hand up and worked with us to get deployments covered. That flexibility made a huge difference.”

Ordinary people, extraordinary impact

As deployments wrapped up across the state, one message remained clear: bushfires reveal the strength of community and the willingness of ordinary people to step up in extraordinary circumstances.

“You never know when an emergency will happen,” Jordan said.
“Having people who are willing to step in when it matters most is everything.”

“Seeing firefighters and support teams from all over the country working towards a shared goal was genuinely inspiring,” she added.
“Knowing we could help those who worked day after day to keep communities safe was incredibly rewarding.”

Thank you

To every volunteer who deployed, prepared to deploy, travelled long distances, supported operations from the EOC, or worked behind the scenes — thank you.

Your professionalism, resilience and care ensured these bushfires operations concluded safely, and your commitment continues to make a meaningful difference for the communities St John Ambulance Victoria is proud to serve.