David Grimble said the CFA made the decision to de-list him without consultation.

The change means Mr Grimble, a farmer and Horsham Rural City councillor, cannot fight fires directly and can only provide support including training, community education and co-ordinating group meetings.

"The issue I've got is not that I've had a significant health issue; it's that the CFA chose to do that without any consultation with myself," he said.

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"I'm actively farming, and I have been all year except for a six-week stint where I was not able to work following the heart attack."

Mr Grimble suffered a heart attack in April, caused by a blockage of the left anterior descending artery, which carries fresh blood to the heart. He required a five-day stay in intensive care in Ballarat Base Hospital and surgeries in Ballarat and Geelong.

"I was back in council two weeks later," he said.

"My ability to do what I need to as a volunteer firefighter hasn't changed. (But) to become an administratively acknowledged operational firefighter, I've got to get a doctor to tick off that I'm medically able.

"But no one's discussed that with me."

Mr Grimble said he wasn't sure how the CFA learned about his health issues, given they were not privy to his health records.

"Nor did they ever discuss what my physical capacity was," he said.

"I was given a form for the doctor to tick off. The problem I faced was the doctor I had been seeing for 30 years had retired and the new doctor knew nothing about me, so the form was very difficult for him to fill out. I could understand why the doctor wouldn't tick it off.

"If the CFA wanted me to have a medical examination, they should have provided the document and resources for that to happen - but I just get a letter saying I'm deemed not operational in the mail.

"It's disappointing given the fact I've given an enormous amount of service over a number of years.

"If I felt I wasn't able to contribute on a particular day, for whatever reason, that's my call as a volunteer I would have thought."

Mr Grimble has volunteered with the CFA since he left school, and has had the roles of captain, group officer and air observer. He has had an active operations role in all significant fires in the Grampians since 1999.

He said he was not aware of anyone else who had been made non-operational because of health-related issues.

"There are a number of other people who have been involved in operational roles that have ongoing health issues," he said. "I seem to have found the red pen through the word operational, which is annoying - but it won't stop me from responding to a fire on the neighbour's property.

"I'll just do what I need to do. Administrative process won't stop me from volunteering."

Brimpaen captain Ken French said being made non-operational meant Mr Grimble could not enter a fire ground at all.

"He can't even sit there and open a gate, which is hard because he's been in the CFA all his life," he said.

"At a meeting on Monday night, everyone was unanimous we support Grimby and we're going to send a letter off to somewhere high up in the CFA asking he be made operational again."

A CFA spokesperson told the Mail-Times it was unable to comment on individual members' health and medical records.

"The CFA has a duty of care to ensure all of its operational members are safe for service," the spokesperson said.

"If a member has been unfit to perform operational duties, CFA requires a clearance certificate from their relevant practitioner before being reinstated into their operational role.

"(The) CFA covers the cost of obtaining a clearance to return to operational duties.This process is in place purely for the safety and welfare of our members."

The spokesperson said members could request to see a CFA doctor.

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