The South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS) comprises highly trained emergency volunteers who freely give their time to protect others in the community.

Some 13,500 firefighters, cadets and support personnel provide the fabric of "service to the community", offering firefighting, rescue and hazardous material response to regional and rural South Australia.

The CFS Foundation was formed in 2000 to accept donations from the public and make grants to CFS volunteers who have experienced distress or hardship as a consequence of their CFS activities. The CFS Foundation - helping those who help the community.

How will the funds be used?

CFS volunteers seek no contribution for their efforts, and in most cases, volunteers contribute more than just their time.

Volunteers have suffered loss during large fires, along with other members of the community, and the CFS Foundation facilitates the distribution of donations from members of the public, corporate citizens and other contributors to those who have suffered distress whilst protecting others in the community.

Two families who lost their CFS volunteer husbands/fathers while firefighting in late 2014 received immediate help from the Foundation, with ongoing support available. 

The Sampson Flat and Pinery fires (in January and November 2015) devastated their communities, including 6 CFS families who lost their homes in these fires.

Resilience and rebuilding

One of those was the Whiteway family of Kersbrook, near Sampson Flat. While CFS volunteer Ben helped the Kersbrook Brigade, at the core of the fire, wife Vicky and children Ella and Sam headed for safety in Adelaide.

After the fire, Ben returned to their property to find only a shed remaining. 

The following year has been one of rebuilding and resilience for the Whiteways, ending with their return to their new home.

The CFS Foundation is proud to have been able to assist the Whiteways in rebuilding their lives. 

Key Areas of Expenditure