MOUNT Walker Rural Fire Brigade Fire Warden, Norm Kerle was presented with the Queensland Rural Fire Long Service Medal for five decades of service to the brigade at an award ceremony in Gleneagle, recently.
The presentation was made to Norm by QFES Regional Manager Alan Gillespie and Chief Superintendent Tony Johnstone.
After the presentation, Norm reminisced about how he stood beside his father Percy who was one of the foundation members of the Mount Walker Brigade.
“Rural Fire Services play a vital role in their community from responding to grass and bushfires and planning and conducting bushfire hazard reduction activities,” Norm said.
“Dad was passionate about the area and saw a need for a brigade to control and assist when fires broke out on numerous farms and properties that surrounded his farm at Mount Walker.
“In 1967, Dad’s vision for this local service came to fruition.
“He was the Fire Warden of the group and other farmers joined alongside him to form the brigade.”
Norm recalled how equipment and sources were so different back then.
“Often you would see the members on tractors snapping a good branch off a tree, to use it to flog out the fires swiftly and quick.
“The original meeting shed was at the Mount Walker school grounds and I would go along with Dad and learn so much from their training sessions and talks about life in the country and on the farm.”
Fundraising was among the many duties of the early Brigade.
“Many events would be held to raise money for the brigade and to show the community what the brigade was all about,” Norm said.
“They were fun and a chance for families to come together.
“As the years went on, I discovered that I had a real passion for the brigade so I became an active member and when Dad got too old, I took his place as Fire Warden.
“The first truck acquired by the brigade was a truck from one of the urban brigades and it felt good because it sure was a big step up from using a tractor.”
Norm says he was honoured to have received the Long Service Medal and he will treasure it as well as the Diligent and Ethical Service Medal that he was presented with ten years ago.
“Our brigade now has about 25 members,” Norm reports.
“We are active and have one fire truck, a fire trailer and we loan a high-pressure pumper truck.
“When needed we also support the brigade in Boonah, and over the years we have assisted in fighting many fires.
“My service gives me a sense of excitement, responsibility and importance.”
Norm added that many training sessions take place nowadays and communications are a lot better.
“It has been a real experience to witness the brigade develop into what it is today.”
Norm said that there have been so many highlights over the years through participation at local concerts, demonstrations given to children and the many friendships he has made.
“The brigade has been my life, a legacy that has lived on for my father and it feels pretty damn good to have been presented with this medal.”
