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The King's Fire Service Medal, introduced in 1954, is awarded to members of the fire services in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
for distinguished service or gallantry. The first person to receive the Kings Fire Service Medal was Christopher James Kemp from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service whose investiture took place on the morning of 27 September 2023. It was also formerly awarded by
Commonwealth countries
The Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the British Commonwealth or simply the Commonwealth, is an international association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire from which i ...
, most of which now have their own honours systems.
Members of recognised fire brigades were eligible for the ''
King's Police Medal'' from its creation in July 1909, with the award renamed the ''King's Police and Fire Services Medal'' in September 1940. In 1954 separate medals were established for the police and the Fire Service, with the ''
Queen's Police Medal
The King's Police Medal (KPM) is awarded to police in the United Kingdom for gallantry or distinguished service. It was also formerly awarded within the wider British Empire, including Commonwealth countries, most of which now have their own hono ...
'' and the ''Queen's Fire Service Medal'' both instituted on 19 May 1954. Recipients from 1969 to 8 September 2022 may use the
post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles, designatory letters, or simply post-nominals, are letters placed after a person's name to indicate that the individual holds a position, an academic degree, accreditation ...
“QFSM”.
Recipients from 8 September 2022 may use the post-nominal letters "KFSM".
The award has two categories. The most common is the ''King's Fire Service Medal for Distinguished Service''. The equivalent medal for gallantry, the ''King's Fire Service Medal for Gallantry'', can only be awarded posthumously and has, up to 2024, never been awarded,
with members of the fire service also eligible for the
George Cross
The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational Courage, gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, ...
,
George Medal
The George Medal (GM), instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI,''British Gallantry Medals'' (Abbott and Tamplin), p. 138 is a decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for gallantry, typically ...
and the
King's Gallantry Medal.
There is provision for the forfeiture of the award in the event of a recipient later being convicted of a criminal offence.
[
]
Design
* The medal is silver and 36 millimetres in diameter, with the ribbon suspended from a ring.
* The obverse bears the profile of King Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms.
Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
.
* The reverse shows a standing figure with a sword and shield, with an inscription of "For Distinguished Fire Service" around the medal's edge. The gallantry version has the words "For Gallantry" in the exergue
A coin is a small object, usually round and flat, used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint (facility), mint in order to facilitate trade. They are most o ...
.
* The name of the recipient is inscribed on the rim of the medal.
* The wide ribbon is of red with three yellow stripes. The King's Fire Service Medal for Gallantry has a single thin dark blue stripe running through the centre of each yellow stripe.[
]
See also
* King's Police Medal
* British and Commonwealth orders and decorations
References
External links
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{{Former Australian Honours
Civil awards and decorations of the United Kingdom
Courage awards
Fire service awards and honors