A LOT changes in half a century as Robert Caldwell will attest having just been honoured for his long service in the NSW Rural Fire Service.
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Robert was one of eight veteran volunteers who were acknowledged for their longevity in supporting their respective communities.
“It might be about time to retire,” Mr Caldwell joked.
Robert has become one of the longest serving fire-fighters in the region having taken it up after he finished high school.
The Pyes Creek farmer said maintaining his property has meant he hasn’t been afforded as much time to utilise his fire-fighting nous.
“I haven’t been out for a while – I don’t get much time to get out these days,” he said.
Mr Caldwell joined the Leefield/Mt McKenzie Brigade in 1966 and has since gone on to fill several roles.
He has served as a captain, deputy captain, president as well as holding the role of Tenterfield Group Captain for eight years.
These days he keeps a watchful eye over the Pyes Creek region and says drought has hit the area so severely that there is little left to burn.
“There’s really nothing out that way – not much grass out here to burn, we’re flat out feeding stock.”
He’s the type to shy away from plaudits and says he has simply spent the last 48 years doing something everyone should do – help the community.
“Everyone should do something for the community – that’s what I did. I did it because I love the bush.”
He was just out of school when he was tasked with battling his first fire out at Leefield.
He says landholders played a big role in helping dampen blazes back then.
Everyone should do something for the community – that’s what I did. I did it because I love the bush.
- RFS volunteer Robert Caldwell
“We’d virtually just turn up – the first fire I went to we didn’t have much at all.
“We’d never seen these big red machines with the flashing lights that they have now,” he said.
A lot of the time volunteers would turn up on the back of a ute and do the best they could he recalled.
Things have changed a lot since his first fire in 1966, but he says they were mostly necessary to providing safer environments.
“The legal aspect has forced a lot of changes – dotting the T’s and I’s,” he said. “There is better equipment- but with better equipment has come more responsibility.
“We have a lot of training for house and bush fires – you saw nothing like that when I started.
He recalled the 2009 Black Saturday fires that swept through Victoria.
Robert was part of a cleanup team that went down there and he said he won’t forget the destruction that he witnessed.
“The worst of it was over by the time we got there but I remember the burnt out homes and railway bridges,” he said.
Of the eight medal recipients that were honoured by NSW RFS, Mr Caldwell made up 48 of the 160 years of service they had between them.
NSW Rural Fire Service Assistant Commissioner Steve Yorke paid tribute to Robert and the other long serving volunteers.
“Every one of these volunteers has demonstrated an exceptional level of commitment to their community over the years.
“I know they will continue to serve their local communities for many years to come and share their knowledge, experience and fire fighting skills both locally and further afield.
“They are all worthy of our most sincere thanks,” Mr Yorke said.