Today, June 2nd, the National Day of the Volunteer Firefighter is celebrated all over the country, in honour of the foundation of the first Volunteer Firefighters Corps of La Boca and in recognition of the valuable work of those men and women who, selflessly and with great courage, dedicate their time and effort to protect the community in emergency situations.
In 1884, following a raging fire in this neighbourhood in the city of Buenos Aires, a neighbour named Tomás Liberti and his son organised, together with a group of people from the community, a human chain to extinguish the flames that threatened to spread rapidly in the surrounding buildings. This event led to the neighbours meeting on 2 June to form the Italian Association of Volunteer Firefighters of La Boca. That date gave birth to the creation of the first Volunteer Fire Brigade, which today celebrates its 140th anniversary.
In the 160s, with the increase in the number of voluntary firefighter associations throughout the country, the first institutions within the National System of Voluntary Firefighters began to emerge. In 1988, the foundations for the future institutional organisation of the System were established and the Council of Federations of Volunteer Firefighters of the Argentine Republic (CFBVRA) was formed.
Ten years later, on 18 April 2001, Law Nº 25.425 was passed, establishing 2 June every year as the National Volunteer Firefighter's Day of the Argentine Republic, a date to honour these men and women who, with great responsibility, professionalism and vocation, play an important social role in the prevention and care of communities.
Volunteer firefighters are known for their dedication, courage and spirit of service. They face fires, accidents, natural disasters and other emergencies with an unwavering commitment to the welfare of their fellow citizens. They often risk their own lives to save the lives of others, acting quickly and efficiently in critical moments.
On National Volunteer Firefighter Day, we thank all volunteer firefighters for their dedication, heroism and love for others that deserves to be celebrated and supported at all times.
