TWO Allans Flat CFA volunteers have notched up 60 years in the job, although these days Wal Tomkins, 84, and Ron Furze, 79, aren’t quite as active as they used to be.
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“I’m quite happy to leave it to the next generation now but I’m still capable of getting behind a hose or reading a map,” Mr Furze said.
“At the same time I’ve got a son involved and the younger members of the brigade are quite keen.”
Both Mr Furze and Mr Tomkins began their firefighting careers in 1952.
Mr Tomkins, a retired dairy farmer, said the Allans Flat CFA was founded by residents following a 1952 fire sparked by a train on the west side of Yackandandah.
Mr Tomkins reminisced on their old methods of fund- raising.
“During my time as secretary we didn’t have much money for equipment so we put a levy on farmers, threepence an acre and then when we needed a shed, sixpence an acre” he said.
“I think the firefighters of today are better trained and they’ve got radio now which we didn’t have in the early times.”
Meanwhile George Glass is just a few months shy from also reaching his six-decade milestone as an Allans Flat fire volunteer.
