300 years of service recognised

LEOPOLD Fire Brigade’s members and firefighting heroes were honoured at a recent ceremony with more than 300 combined years of service celebrated with service awards, lifetime awards and national medals.

Firefighter Geoff Richards received the National Medal 4th Clasp in celebration of more than 55 years of service.

Service awards were awarded to Kate Conway for five years of service, Richard Barras for 40 years of service and Mick Hoare for 60 years of service.

Phyllis Serpell, Pauline Hunter and Mark Hunter were recognised for 15 years of service, while former Captain Ken Hair and Barry Serpell received service awards for their 50 years of service.

Don Barber was also recognised for 40 years of service and was awarded CFA life membership for his ongoing commitment to the fire service and the Leopold Fire Brigade.

Leopold Fire Brigade captain Chris Wilkinson said it was important to recognise the service of the brigade’s members.

“These people have contributed over many, many years,” he said.

“They are faces of the community that often people don’t know and they have been part of not just the operational response but building the brigade to the point that it is at now to be able to continue to deliver the service.

“It would be very easy to just think a fire service happens in a place like [Leopold], but it just doesn’t. It’s the work of these people over many, many years that gets it to this point.”

Wilkinson first joined the fire service in 2006 at the age of 16.

He received the National Medal at the event for his diligent and long-standing contribution to the CFA and the community.

“It is absolutely an indicator of the work that I’ve put into the emergency services. For me that’s fire and ambulance,” Mr Wilkinson said.

“It’s humbling.”

He said the service was one that needed to happen, and regardless of the recognition, he’d “do it anyway”.

Eager for new volunteers, the CFA is presently running its ‘Give Us a Hand’ campaign to drive up recruitment across regional Victoria.

“You don’t have to fight fires to be able to contribute and new members are always welcomed,” Mr Wilkinson said.

In addition to operational roles such as firefighting and emergency response, volunteers are also needed for a variety of support roles.

The roles are broad and span from fundraising and community education to business management and social media.

“In addition to what you can provide to the CFA and the community…there’s a lot of satisfaction to get out of it. There’s a lot of life experience skills to get out of it,” Mr Wilkinson said.

“You can learn a lot in the way of practical skills, leadership and communication.”

For more information, head to cfa.vic.gov.au.