They came in their truckloads, men and women kitted out in the same yellow uniforms that RFS volunteer firefighter Andrew O'Dwyer was wearing when he died.

Thousands of firefighters, police, SES and ambulance personnel attended the funeral service on Tuesday for the married father at Our Lady of Victories church, just 700 metres from Mr O'Dwyer's Horsley Park RFS brigade.

Mr O'Dwyer, 36, and his mate Geoffrey Keaton, 32, were killed six days before Christmas when a tree fell in the path of their truck at the still-burning Green Wattle Creek fire, causing it to roll.

"Baby Charlotte, you need to know - your dad was a special man, a selfless man, and only left because he is a hero," RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said, his voice breaking on the last word.