Warracknabeal Country Fire Authority Group Officer Colin Newell has urged more people to volunteer, after he was awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal on Australia Day .
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Mr Newell said he was humbled by the award, and joined the brigade in Wilkur South at 16 because it was just what people did.
He said while the sense of duty still existed in the community, the problem was people leaving for work or education.
“Even though they’ve joined the brigade, they aren’t around all that much,” he said.
“But they still feel they should join, whereas people within the town, it’s more expected someone will come and do it for you.”
Mr Newell’s award comes after a lifetime of innovation and leadership in the Wimmera.
Since joining, he has overseen the introduction of many new and successful initiatives that have gone statewide, including the Group Hubbing Project.
“It came from the fact that out in rural brigades numbers are dropping, and therefore it was getting harder for people to do admin jobs,” he said.
“What we came up with was a system where the whole 13 brigades in the (Warracknabeal) area were all administered by one secretary and one treasurer, which then frees members of outlying brigades to do what they joined for, and that is to support their community during fires and incidents.”
Mr Newell also led the initiative of Voluntary Grain Harvest Bans, where farmers are sent text messages advising them not to use harvesting equipment on days of high winds and heat and low humidity.
Mr Newell says there has been a significant decline in the number of fires started by harvesting operations since the scheme’s introduction. According to him, the Wimmera is seeing the lowest amount of harvest-related fire activity on record.
A CFA spokesperson praised Mr Newell for his “proficient leadership” and “comprehensive knowledge... on the fire ground”.
“He is held in high regard within his local Brigade, the Warracknabeal Group, by the broader community, and by those he has worked with across Victoria,” the spokesperson said.