During the 2022 CFA/VFBV state championships at Mooroopna, Mr Davies was presented with a Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) life membership.

"This is my 50th year at the state championships without a break. I never missed one apart from COVID so this honour makes it very special," he said.

Mr Davies started his CFA volunteering at Wendouree for three years and after a year at Portland moved to Horsham where he has clocked up more than 40 years of service.

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"I was asked by a mate if I wanted to join," he recalled. "We'd been through school and scouts together, but I chose not to initially because I was too busy with study."

Fifty years later, Mr Davies is pleased he eventually found time to volunteer when he went to teacher's college.

"I started in competition running as a 19-year-old who wanted to keep fit," he said.

Like so many who start on the competition track, Mr Davies became a committed firefighter and took on most officer positions at Horsham, right through to captain, deputy group officer and group officer.

Although he has given up those roles "to let some fresh blood come in" he is still an active brigade member and turns out to incidents when he can.

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"Firefighting has always been part of it," he said. "It was something I decided to do to give something back to the community."

Now Mr Davies would like to see more young people take on the volunteer opportunity, not only to protect the community but for the friendship and camaraderie.

"You can be at a fire somewhere across the other side of the state as part of a strike team and someone will walk up and say "hi John, how are you going?"

"I've walked in towns I don't know and people say g'day because they remember me from the running team or the fire brigade."

A long time supporter of firefighter championships, he says they encourage teamwork and skills development.

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"When you're at a fire the teamwork is already there because you've done it in training and on the running track. You may have competed on the track, but you know they will be there to support you on the fire grounds."

As a firefighter he has been "a man of many hats", from full-on firefighting to being trained as an aircraft officer and observer and fire investigator.

"I've been trained well by the CFA and love the organisation dearly," he said.

The life membership recognises Mr Davies' involvement with VFBV and its predecessor the Victorian Urban Fire Brigades Association where he has been a State Councillor and helped to run local competitions.

"The VFBV is proving to be a great organisation pulling all parts of our various groups together and keeping us together as a tight-knit group," he said.

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"It has an important role in representing volunteers in the broader sphere. We give our time and turn out to a fire any time day or night and get involved in local brigades and groups, and then the VFBV represents us at a higher level and takes up issues on our behalf.

"They do a lot of good putting on pressure to ensure standards are maintained."

Now 71, he retiring from his state role as a State Councillor but is keen to stay involved at the local level with the Horsham brigade and the VFBV competition and rules committee.

VFBV Chief executive Adam Barnett praised John's commitment to his community, his brigade and to the volunteer association.

"John's service and duty is an inspiration to all, and we could not be prouder of him with his VFBV life membership being a fitting recognition of his lifetime of dedication to others," Mr Barnett said.

"John has always put others first and he leaves a powerful legacy of community service and duty to the people of Victoria through his emergency service volunteering over five decades."

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