When Kevin Antony joined the Melton fire brigade as a volunteer firefighter, he wasn’t planning on staying too long.
But this year, the brigade’s 1st lieutenant has racked up more than 25 years’ service with the Country Fire Authority and has no plans to retire any time soon.
Mr Antony says he moved to Melton in the late 1980s and was looking for a community group to get involved with.
“I thought, how can I meet people and see what’s happening in town,” he says.
“A couple of my friends suggested the CFA or local community groups … so I decided to go down to the fire brigade one day and we went from there.”
Mr Antony is calling on young people to visit their local brigades, chat to the fireys and inquire about volunteering.
There’s no better way to give back to the community, he says.
“Over time, I’ve made some great friendships, Mr Antony said. “Once I started to get involved I started seeing and finding a bit of spirit around the community.”
While juggling volunteering with family and full-time work can be hard, Mr Antony says it’s well worthwhile.
“One of the most rewarding parts is realising you’re doing something for the community and, more importantly, seeing a lot of younger people joining the CFA getting some skills and going on to become firefighters.”
The Melton fire brigade will soon start the process of recruiting volunteer firefighters. Details: 9743 6403
