Fire and Rescue NSW unveils fire truck with Pride livery to celebrate Mardi Gras & WorldPride 2023 - Sydney
Published: 16 Feb 2023 12:06pm
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has unveiled a ‘fabulous’ new look for one of its fire trucks, adopting rainbow livery to show its support for LGBTQIA+ people as Sydney hosts two of the world’s biggest pride events this month.
The 45th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival and WorldPride, which support LGBTQIA+ communities by promoting diversity, equality and inclusion, will run from 17 February to 3 March.
The overhauled urban pumper will take part in both celebrations, dazzling in the traditional street parade through Oxford Street and featuring elsewhere in the blockbuster event programs.
In addition to the rainbow flag, the special wrap incorporates the triad of blue, pink and white from the trans flag; a palette of purple and yellow from the intersex flag; and stripes of black and brown to represent marginalised people of colour.
The truck has also been decked out with lights and speakers to ensure it’s the life of both parties.
Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Paul Baxter hopes the pride truck will ignite positive and powerful conversations when people see it at public events.
“The Pride truck is literally a vehicle for change, showing our strong support of LGBTQIA+ communities and hopefully inspiring more people to be allies,” Commissioner Baxter said.
“It’s important that organisations such as Fire and Rescue NSW take the lead in celebrating LGBTQIA+ culture, and stamping out negative attitudes, prejudices and bigotry.
“Fire and Rescue NSW is proud to be an employer that embraces and elevates people of all backgrounds, sexualities and gender identities.”
Madeleine Dalley, a FRNSW firefighter and co-chair of Fringe, a support network for LGBTQIA+ employees and their supporters, said the special truck wrap will break down barriers.
“A big part of being a firefighter is trusting and protecting ourselves, our colleagues and our communities; and to do that, we need to truly know and accept each other,” Ms Dalley said.
“This truck livery is a great visual representation that our workforce is here to support everyone, including some of the more vulnerable groups that need to be shown we have their backs.”
The livery, lights and speakers are being entirely funded by Versaterm Public Safety's Adashi Systems, a public safety software provider proudly backing FRNSW’s involvement in Mardi Gras and WorldPride.
The community is encouraged to get a ‘selfie’ with the truck when they see it at Mardi Gras and WorldPride and stationed at City of Sydney Fire Station on Castlereagh Street, Sydney.
EDITORS NOTE:_ Images of the ‘pride’ truck are available via the following web links – _ _Photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1J0M6ftYLuN0-NntCZcvaXiCKtIN8ZLtN?usp=sharing [external link] _ Video: https://vimeo.com/798596630/a95307359e [external link]
Updated: 16 Feb 2023 12:10pm
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Stations nearby
166 Kent Street, The Rocks NSW 2000
147 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009
211-217 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000