In the early days of 2020, in the thick of Australia’s worst bushfire season on record, volunteer firefighter Paul Parker told Prime Minister Scott Morrison to “get f**ked from Nelligan.”

His rage came after Scott Morrison said volunteer firefighters don’t need monetary compensation for their work because they “want to be there”.

“We really enjoy doing this shit, dickhead,” Paul Parker told Scott Morrison, who had just taken a family vacation to Hawaii as two firefighters died in Australia.

Parker had spent the past days saving the lives and homes of the Nelligan community and was on the brink of exhaustion when he came across the Channel Seven camera crews and erupted.

The video went viral, with many praising Parker for expressing “succinctly what pretty much a whole country was thinking”. But what the public didn’t see was the aftermath of that video.

Watch: The moment firefighter Paul Parker condemned Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Post continues below.

Shortly after, Paul Parker was allegedly dismissed by the New South Wales Rural Fire Service.

Talking toThe Projecton Sunday night, Paul said: “The message I got [from the RFS] was: ‘about time you brought the truck back because we were about to send the police to go look for you.’

“Another captain from another brigade within Batemans Bay came out and I asked him a question, I said, ‘What’s going on?’ And he said, ‘You’re finished because of your allegations and foul language against the Prime Minister of the country while representing the RFS.'”

Paul added: “I didn’t know you could get sacked from a volunteer organisation but apparently you can.”

The revelation that he was “sacked” on Sunday night led to the hashtag #IStandWithPaulParker, which was the number one trending topic on Twitter on Monday.

Social media praised the firefighter and showed an outpouring of support for the “hero”.

If Australia of today is anything like the country it claims to be, this should cause absolute outrage. Not only was Paul Parker saving homes & lives while the PM tanned up in Hawaii, he expressed succinctly what pretty much a whole country was thinking. #IStandWithFiremanPaul https://t.co/Rz5rtosCLK

— Rohan Connolly (@rohan_connolly) February 16, 2020

This is a disgraceful overreaction from @NSWRFS and the @RFSCommissioner should step in immediately, apologise and fix it. This is not the thanks our volunteers should expect. #IStandWithFiremanPaul https://t.co/k0Lzw9e9kx

— Cr Nic Wright (@CrNicWright) February 16, 2020

This is appalling. Where was Scott Morrison when this man was risking his life fighting fires?

Waikiki beach. Nice. #auspol #IStandWithFiremanPaul https://t.co/IFBV7J8PHd

— Van Badham (@vanbadham) February 16, 2020

#FiremanPaul Parker was just on #TheProject & confirmed he was kicked out of the RFS for his #ScottMorrison rant, saying he didn’t know he could be sacked from a volunteer job.

He was the one saving properties/lives while Morrison was holidaying. #IStandWithFiremanPaul #AusPol pic.twitter.com/FYg9ruCL0J

— Kiera (@KieraGorden) February 16, 2020

The NSW RFS has responded, refuting claims they “sacked” Paul Parker.

“The NSW RFS is aware of reports concerning the status of volunteer member Paul Parker from the Nelligen area,” the organisation tweeted on Monday.

“We can confirm Paul remains a member of the NSW RFS and has not been dismissed.”

The NSW RFS is aware of reports concerning the status of volunteer member Paul Parker from the Nelligen area. We can confirm Paul remains a member of the NSW RFS and has not been dismissed. #NSWRFS

— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) February 16, 2020

They did not, however, deny that they reprimanded him.

It remains unclear what exactly happened, however local and national support for Paul Parker continues to grow.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the firefighter rebuild his own home, which has “suffered extensive damage”. At the time of publication, it has over $6,000 raised.

Feature Image: Channel Seven.

Sign up for the “Mamamia Daily” newsletter. Get across the stories women are talking about today.