Harry Stead among fallen firefighters remembered for their ultimate sacrifice at Kings Park memorial service

The mother of a young West Australian firefighter who died battling a blaze on his neighbour’s property has remembered her son as an “amazing young man” whose “life was just beginning”. Harry Stead will be remembered forever after his name was enshrined at the State’s Firefighter’s Memorial Grove. The 20-year-old was fighting an out-of-control fire in Coomalbidgup, about 60km west of Esperance, on Boxing Day 2023 when he fell from a private fire-fighting vehicle and died. He was one of six fallen West Australian firefighters added to the Honour Roll at Kings Park on Sunday. “We miss him every day. We want him remembered,” Harry’s mother, Sue Stead, told media after the ceremony. “Harry ... was an amazing young man. He was only 20, his life was just beginning, and for us it’s just so sad that we won’t get to see what kind of husband, father, the person he would’ve become. “He had an awesome smile, he had a fantastic hug, he just kept our family together. He has three amazing siblings, and they miss him every day.” Mrs Stead confessed her son’s death often didn’t feel real, but that Sunday’s memorial service had cemented the fact that he was never coming home. “It’s a bit more reality that Harry is truly gone. Today has made it quite real,” she said. “He wasn’t inspired to be a firefighter, as most people know that in the country that’s just what we do. “There was a lightning strike on the farm next door on Boxing Day so you leave the television and the Boxing Day test and you hop in the fire truck and you go and put it out . . . its part of being someone on the land and you just pray that every time that people go out to fight these fires they come home, and in this case Harry didn’t.” Harry’s father Simon said the world was poorer without his son in it. “He didn’t go out there to die on that day, and as Sue said, fires are just a reality of living on the land, and it’s something that we’ve done countless times before,” Mr Stead said. “He had so much to give. There’s no comfort in the way he went but today’s a wonderful tribute to all the people who do give their lives … we must continue to remember them.” In a moving and sombre service on International Firefighers’ Day, Emergency Services Minister Paul Papalia honoured the men and women who’d made the ultimate sacrifice, commending their extraordinary courage and selfless community service. Addressing the hundreds of firefighter personnel as well as families and friends in attendance, Mr Papalia said the day was an “opportunity to pause and reflect on what firefighters do for us”. He said career and volunteer firefighters represented the absolute best of the community, and thanked both past and current first responders. “They protect us knowing they’ll be put in harm’s way,” he said. In a poignant tribute, Department of Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm AFSM honoured the men and women who gave their lives striving to protect the State, vowing that they would always be remembered. “We must never forget to honour the courage and commitment of those who have fallen doing their duty. He thanked the loved ones of the fallen, admitting that it was the “comfort of family that allows firefighters to do what they do”. It honours fallen heroes and all firefighters worldwide, both past and present. There are now 100 names engraved on plaques on display at the Memorial Grove, reflecting those firefighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice to help keep Western Australians safe. International Firefighters’ Day is held annually to coincide with the feast day of Saint Florian, the patron saint of firefighters. The firefighters added to the Honour Roll for 2025 served more than 180 years collectively. They were: