REFLECTING on 45 years as a firefighter and 40 as captain of the Junee brigade, one thing stood out for Robbie Duncan.
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“It’s friendship and the people you met – they’re all good people,” Mr Duncan said.
Whether it’s at the fire fighter’s championships, fundraising for the community or helping someone recover from a blaze, he said friendships formed had endured.
“I met a lot of people at the championships, never won one, but we always had a good time.”
Joining the brigade in 1970 and then rising to captain in 1975, Mr Duncan said there had been massive changes.
“In the early days there were just three phones, one for the captain, one for the deputy and a spare,” he said.
“If we wanted to go somewhere, someone else had to keep the phone manned – now we all have pagers.”
He said the bushfires which came through Junee in 2001 as one of the worst times in the brigade but said being able to mentor younger firefighters as some of the best.
“I’d like to thank the people of June for their support over the years,” Mr Duncan said.
“I’ve seen a few sad things and some great things.
“We’ve always had good men in the brigade and they’ve made the time worthwhile,” he said.
Mr Duncan said after 40 years leading the brigade it was time to hand over the reins to some of the younger firefighters and think about retirement.
David Hedlund and Steven Lawson will run the brigade.
Mr Duncan said he wouldn’t go too far and said people would still see him around Junee, working with the fire brigade’s social club.