A memorial at Treasury Gardens has opened to honour Victorian emergency services personnel who have lost their lives while serving the community.
The Victorian Emergency Services Memorial honours all of Victoria’s emergency services agencies including Ambulance Victoria, Country Fire Authority, Fire Rescue Victoria, Forest Fire Management Victoria, Life Saving Victoria, Victoria State Emergency Service and marine search and rescue personnel.
The memorial also honours personnel from predecessor organisations who lost their lives protecting the community.
The memorial has 203 name markers, including the plaques from the former CFA Firefighter Memorial at Fiskville, which paid tribute to 67 CFA members and 11 firefighters from its predecessor organisations.
The memorial was developed, designed and built with feedback from families and brigades of the firefighters recognised on the memorial at Fiskville, the City of Melbourne and emergency services organisations.
Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said the memorial will provide a special place for families, colleagues, friends and the community to come together to honour and remember those we have lost.
"The Victorian Emergency Services Memorial will pay tribute to the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in keeping Victorians safe and ensure their service is never forgotten."
The site for the memorial at Treasury Gardens is a quiet and peaceful space, close to public transport with access for people living with disabilities.
The department acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.