South Australians are being encouraged to wear a splash of orange next Wednesday (May 21) to celebrate national Wear Orange Wednesday (WOW Day) which recognises the selfless dedication of State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers.

The SES is a volunteer-based emergency assistance and rescue service which supports the people of South Australia 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Every year, SA SES volunteers respond to thousands of emergency response requests, often in challenging conditions, and commit to maintaining their life-saving skills by undertaking regular, on-going training – all in their own time.

On WOW Day, people are encouraged to wear something orange, host a morning tea, or share a message or video on social media as a way of acknowledging the work of SES volunteers.

In South Australia the public are invited to attend an activation to be held in Gawler Place, Rundle Mall, from noon to 3pm.

The activation will include SES vehicles on display, the SES's new Community Engagement trailer, giveaways and special appearances from Paddy the Platypus.

There will also be a free photo booth, allowing people to record personalised messages of thanks to SES volunteers which will then be shared on SA SES social media.

Communities are also embracing the special day, with iconic structures from Adelaide to Port Lincoln preparing to light up in orange on WOW Day night.

Many local councils and their libraries will also be displaying SES WOW Day posters to raise awareness of the work of SES volunteers.

A 2025 WOW Day poster and social media tile is available on the SES website, which can be downloaded to display or share in your community. To download a copy to share click here (external site).