Smythesdale Fire Brigade captain Alwyn Parker has called it a day after 25 years leading the brigade.
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Mr Parker, known to many as 'Snowy', has been a CFA member for 53 years, having joined up as a 16-year-old to volunteer alongside his father and serving as deputy group officer for the Grenville Group for 26 years.
Mr Parker said it was time to step aside and let the brigade's younger members take the reins.
"I just feel it's time for me to step aside and let the rotation start its chain so that some of the younger ones can step up into the lieutenant's positions and hope that they continue on to keep brigade active as much as possible," he said.
Mr Parker said he was proud to be able to build the brigade up to having two satellite stations, a fleet of brigade-owned vehicles and 45 active members.
"The brigade members, along with grants that we've been able to exercise over a period of time, build up brigade-owned vehicles and it gives the members the opportunity to hop on a truck," he said. "If we only had one CFA appliance, well, I don't think we'd have the membership that we've got today."
Mr Parker said he would continue to serve as a volunteer firefighter, but was looking forward to a holiday.
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"I just hope the brigade continues on and strives the way that we have over the years... be able to get extra members to come on board when older members decide to retire or take a step back and just hope that we can continue on," he said.
"You're responsible for the operations of the brigade so it's time to sit back and have a rest, maybe have a holiday during the fire danger period that I have never had.
"When the kids were growing up, there might've been a day here or a day there during the holiday period but to go away for a period of time, we never did it during the fire danger period.
"I grew up in the fire brigade and it's been a part of my life and it's time to sit back and take it easy."
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