"It's hard to put into words how we feel coming to a year without our beautiful Zane and his dear friends."
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Zane Mellor's mother Georgie Burt has spoken ahead of the first anniversary of the Hillcrest tragedy about the pain she has experienced over losing a child.
Zane and five of his classmates died after falling from an airborne jumping castle on the last day of the 2021 school year at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania.
"The grief has not lessened, and it never will," Ms Burt said.
"To lose a child is the greatest pain that no human should have to bare.
"To think it has been one year without my son's smile and his beautiful energy in our home is just a pain I can not put into words."
Ms Burt said she had received support from the wider North-West community.
"The community has wrapped their arms around us, and I am eternally grateful for that support."
She said she missed her son Zane.
"He was courageous, handsome and unquestionably unique.
"My firstborn son was my light in the darkest of rooms.
"He was my first love, and I will miss him until I see him again."
Insight has been provided, meanwhile, into the support given to the first responders and emergency service workers who attended the Hillcrest tragedy.
Ambulance Tasmania and Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management wellbeing support director Matthew Richman said it has a comprehensive critical incident stress management program.
"When Hillcrest occurred, we activated our broader wellbeing support team.
"We had people on the ground very quickly to provide support on scene.
"That support really increased over the first couple of weeks, and we're extending that support out for a two-year period."
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Mr Richman said that 174 emergency services personnel responded to the Hillcrest tragedy, either in the radio rooms or on the scene.
"We've been very successful in making sure that those people are getting the support they need and in a timely manner because it's well known that the earlier the intervention can occur, the better the outcome will be over time.
"What we have done is we've made sure that there's been regular contact, particularly in the first period, through things such as our assistance dogs, our peer support officers being present face-to-face, going around to the police stations, ambulance stations, and fire stations.
"And then over time, we also made sure that they were getting the psychological support they needed."
A public commemoration service for the Hillcrest victims will occur at Market Square in Devonport on December 15 from 5:30pm.
There will also be a service at the Devonport Church of Christ at 7pm.
