NT firefighters will not have ceremonies to be presented with their National Emergency Services Medals awarded for their efforts fighting the bushfires in NSW and Queensland in the summer of 2019-20, with NT Fire boss Mark Spain saying it was not feasible to hold a ceremony “due to fairness and acknowledgement.”

United Workers Union NT secretary Erina Early said 107 firefighters, both career and volunteer, were sent to aid Queensland and NSW during the Black Summer fires of 2019/2020, and had been recognised by the medals.

She said medals had only been awarded for national emergencies four times previously.

In a letter to chief fire officer Mr Spain, she said the union believed the NT Fire and Rescue Service executive determined bringing the medal recipients across the NT to Darwin for a ceremony was too expensive.

“Members have been notified they will receive their medal through internal mail if you live outside Darwin, and those members located in Darwin, NTFRS executive will visit on shift and present the medal to eligible fire fighters,” she wrote.

“This was advised on August 11, and to date the medals have not been posted or received by members.”

Mr Spain did not respond to questions from the NT Independent, but Ms Early shared an email message from Mr Spain’s email address that she said was sent on October 24 in response to her letter.

The email said he intended to conduct station visits across the Northern Territory in November, with the intent of handing out the national medals to those involved.

“As you would also appreciate the strategy to be inclusive of all my members (career, auxiliary and volunteer firefighters) across the NT to participate in this national emergency it is not feasible to hold a function in any one particular location due to fairness and acknowledgement,” the message said.

One senior firefighting source was critical of Mr Spain, saying he said it was too hard to fly everyone into Darwin, so he did nothing instead, while there were other options.

“Deputy chief fire officer Stephen Sewell had given a few out in an informal visit to Alice Springs that was viewed by many as a jaunt so he could see the Finke Desert race on NTFRS dollars,” they said.

“No effort has been made, formal or informal, to award the medals in Darwin. A handful of medals have been posted to members who have left the service.

“He doesn’t need to do it all in one ceremony, no other jurisdiction has. It would have been meaningful to host these awards on International Firefighter’s Day. It would have been a public acknowledgement and media opportunity. Following that, subsequent visits to major centres with smaller ceremonies.

“Feedback, positive and negative, should be provided in a timely and genuine effort. Unfortunately, the CFO has missed the boat and he will never get that opportunity back.”

Ms Early, and the source, said Mr Spain has held the medals since April 8, and she said firefighters had suggested holding a ceremony on International Firefighters day on May 4, or at the recruit course 46 graduation ceremony on August 23, but neither were supported by the executive.

“United Workers Union want to highlight that our members rarely have the opportunity to be recognised for their achievements within the NTPFES as the focus is always on the police service, who have regular awards and ceremonies for their well–deserved acts of bravery and achievements to the community,” Ms Early wrote to Mr Spain.

“It appears that little effort has been made by NTPFES and NTFRS executive to recognise service in a nationally recognised disaster, when other fire services across the country have gone to great lengths to commend the bravery of their firefighters.

“As you can appreciate for members to be told ‘it is too much cost and effort to formally recognise these medals’ is quite disheartening and again demonstrates (real or perceived) the lack of respect and value the NTFRS Executive and CEO have for your firefighters.”

The firefighting source said it was important to show that the point was not about the medal but that it was an opportunity to thank firefighters that the executive found was ‘too difficult, logistically’ so they planned to just post them out.

“Firies couldn’t care less about the medal, but it is a national medal which has been awarded and presented across the rest of Australia and New Zealand., and to a curious selection of NT firefighters,” they said.

“It is a clear indication of the fractured relationship between management and the floor. This has been a problem forever though. Firefighters are routinely ignored in Police Fire and Emergency Services medal ceremonies.

“We will get medals delivered over coffee or beginning of shift. Police will book a venue and organise a ceremony. I’ve seen a 30-year service medal given to a firefighter as he was driving out after shift. It’s disrespectful and demeaning.

“The whole thing is a mess. It lacks integrity and fails to inspire.”