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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 Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
for distinguished service or gallantry. It was also formerly awarded by
Commonwealth countries
The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of 56 sovereign states. Most of them were British colonies or dependencies of those colonies.
No one government in the Commonwealth exercises power over the others, as is the case in a p ...
, most of which now have their own honours systems.
Members of recognised fire brigades were eligible for the ''
King'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 ...
'' 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 “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 2022, never been awarded,
with members of the fire service also eligible for the
George Cross,
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, awarded for gallantry, typically by civilians, or in cir ...
and the
King's Gallantry Medal
The King's Gallantry Medal (KGM) is a United Kingdom decoration awarded for exemplary acts of bravery where the services were not so outstanding as to merit the George Medal, but above the level required for the King's Commendation for Bravery ...
.
There is provision for the forfeiture of the award in the event of a recipient later being convicted of a criminal offence.
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Design
* The medal is silver and 36 millimetres in diameter, with the ribbon suspended from a ring.
* The obverse bears the profile of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
.
* 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, flat (usually depending on the country or value), round piece of metal or plastic used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order to ...
.
* 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
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 ...
* British and Commonwealth orders and decorations
This article concerns the orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms awarded by the sovereign in right of each nation.
Awards are listed by order of wear.
Antigua and Barbuda
* Order of the National Hero
* Order of the Nation
* Order of Me ...
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