Pinoy who saved Outback fire brigade celebrated in Australian Parliament

A Filipino immigrant who helped a small Outback town keep its volunteer fire brigade was celebrated in the Australian Parliament on Thursday during a special sitting to welcome President Marcos who was on a state visit.

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised Samson Bucol as an example of the Philippine diaspora's willingness to give back to the community.

Bucol lives in the small South Australia state town of Port Wakefield.

The community of 600 people was on the brink of disbanding its Country Fire Service in 2022 as it struggled to recruit volunteer firefighters.

Bucol, who immigrated in 2014, was the only person to respond to a last-ditch recruitment drive. He helped pave the way for a flood of Filipino recruits.

With the addition of Bucol's family, friends and the wider Filipino community the Port Wakefield brigade is now almost staffed to capacity, said local brigade captain Warren Miller.