SA Country Fire Service

Media release

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CADETS MAINTAIN ANZAC SPIRIT AT YOUTH VIGIL

24/04/2013

SA Country Fire Service (CFS) and State Emergency Service (SES) cadets will tonight stand guard at memorials across the State to remember the fallen soldiers during the ANZAC Eve Youth Vigils.

About 300 young people from various volunteer organisations are expected to take part in the vigils, which have become a tradition for many young South Australians to commemorate the legacy of ANZAC.

The 22 CFS and 15 SES cadets will each take their turn to watch over the memorial at the State service for thirty minute periods and pay their respects, and will continue the vigil until 6am on ANZAC Day itself.

Venues for the vigils to commence at 6pm include the State War Memorial on North Terrace and the City of Onkaparinga Memorial Gardens on the corner of Flaxmill Road and Main South Road at Morphett Vale. Emergency services cadets will also attend a vigil held in Blackwood.

CFS Chief Officer Greg Nettleton said the youth vigils undertaken by CFS cadets and other young people demonstrate the personal contribution made by young South Australians to commemorate the ANZAC Day legacy.

"Our cadets standing guard at a memorial shows the respect they have for the extraordinary sacrifice made by soldiers in previous conflicts, and we are reminded through the efforts of our cadets the value of their contribution" Mr Nettleton said.

SES Chief Officer Chris Beattie agreed that cadets hold the key to taking the spirit of ANZAC into the future and he will be pleased to stand alongside them at the ceremony at North Terrace tonight.

"Cadets are the future of our organisation, there is a high transition of cadets into full-time membership, and to see our cadets out there tonight is wonderful," he said.

Vigils will also be held at memorials in Mannum, Port Lincoln and Salisbury, and the Marion and Murray Bridge RSLs.

People interested in becoming a CFS or SES cadet can contact the Volunteer Recruitment Hotline on 1300 364 587 or visit the agency website www.cfs.sa.gov.au or www.ses.sa.gov.au

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Media information
For media enquiries call the CFS Media Line on 08 8115 3531.

Government of South Australia