Maitland firefighters joined other brigades from across Australia to pay their respects to Daniel Howard, the Cobar firefighter who died earlier this month while battling a blaze.
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The 37-year-old died of a cardiac arrest after a wall fell on him and another firefighter as they battled a fire at the New Occidental Hotel about 9am on August 17.
Staff at the Maitland fire station held a minute’s silence at 2pm to remember Mr Howard.
Deputy Captain Brad Howell said the incident had brought home the risks of the job.
“It was very sad; it’s always something that can play at the back of your mind when you go to a job,” he said.
“There are very few fatalities in the job in Australia, I think the last one I can remember was at Macquarie Fields in 2008.
“We have 7000 firies who attend thousands of jobs every day and, thankfully, most days they come home.”
Captain Howell said a prayer after the minute’s silence for a blessing of those who were heartbroken by the tragedy.
