As the sun was setting on Wednesday and the rain slowly fell, members of the Mooroopna CFA bowed their heads to pay their respects.
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Sounding their sirens and bathing the town in flashing red and blue lights, the brigade fell silent to remember the four fallen police officers who were killed in the horrific collision on the Eastern Freeway last week.
The sirens rang for four minutes from 5.40 pm, one minute for each of the four officers killed: Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Constable Glen Humphris, Senior Constable Kevin King and Constable Josh Prestney.
The moving tribute was seen or heard by many, with the local brigade taking part in the tribute to honour their brothers and sisters in blue.
“When one of our team falls, we all stumble,” Mooroopna CFA member Dean O'Hara said.
“It was our small tribute that we could do to show our friends and brothers and sisters in blue that we’re thinking of them in these times.”
The Mooroopna CFA was one of dozens of brigades taking part in the tribute across the state on Wednesday evening, exactly one week after the four officers were killed while conducting a routine vehicle check along a busy Melbourne freeway.
Mr O'Hara and Mooroopna CFA captain Steven Johnson stood outside to pay their respects, bowing their heads in silence while the brigade's tanker, pumper and field command vehicle sounded in the background.
“It was very humbling — emergency service workers go to jobs day in and day out without thinking of their own safety or what could happen,” Mr O'Hara said.
“Those four police members went to do their job and they didn't finish ... it reminds us just how fragile life can be.”
Mr O'Hara said the tragedy highlighted the importance of people slowing down to 40km/h when they saw a flashing emergency vehicle — a law introduced to protect the safety of all emergency service personnel on roads across the state.
“Our work is hard enough, let alone having to pay attention to road traffic — it's about ensuring we're all safe,” he said.
“We really advocate for people to put your foot on the brake and slow right down — you just might save a life.”
Many other local brigades took part in the moving tribute on Wednesday, with Dookie, Cooma and Katamatite also sounding their sirens in memory of the officers.
The tribute comes a day before the funerals of the four police officers began, with Sen Const Taylor laid to rest on Thursday while the remaining three funerals will be held today and Monday.
And while business has continued as normal at the Mooropna CFA station this week, Mr O'Hara said the fallen officers were and would continue to remain in the minds of all members.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those members and their families - its been a tough week for everybody,” he said.
“If you see a CFA, police or Ambulance member out in the community say g'day and say thank you - that's often all we want to hear.”
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