Thank your first responder

There are more than 370,000 first responders across Australia, and many of them are volunteers who have day jobs in addition to their role supporting the community. 

That’s why this Thank a First Responder Day we are urging businesses across the nation to get on board to ‘Thank Your First Responder’ to let your own people know how grateful you are for their service. 

Now in its sixth year, Thank a First Responder Day will be held on Wednesday 11 June 2025 and is a national celebration of the incredible role first responders play. 

It also recognises the families of first responders who sacrifice so much to ensure Australia’s first responders can support the community. 

Recognising your own first responders, as well as the family members of first responders within your organisation, can be as simple as sending a shout out via email, the intranet or internal messaging, or as grand as holding a thank you event where staff can come together and express their gratitude for the amazing work your first responders do. 

You may wish to acknowledge your own first responders on social media, on your website or in communications with your customers, display signage about being a first responder friendly workplace, or raise money to help support the mental health and wellbeing of first responders and their families. 

How ever you want to recognise and thank first responders, remember that gratitude and feeling appreciated boosts wellbeing, which is what Thank a First Responder Day is all about. 

If you would like to find out more About Thank a First Responder Day, as well as download resources to help recognise first responders in your workplace, visit our dedicated Thank a First Responder Day site at https://thankafirstresponderday.org.au 

Thank a First Responder Day is an initiative of Fortem Australia, the nation’s leading independent and not-for-profit organisation supporting the mental health and wellbeing of first responders and their families. 

If you would like to help Fortem support first responders and their families, you can make a tax deductible donation at our website: https://fortemaustralia.org.au/tafrd-2/donate/