By BRIDGET SCOTT
HE’S the mover and shaker, the organiser, and admittedly Graham Simpson was a born leader.
Since 1978, he’s been part of the Cockatoo Fire Brigade and 35 years on, Mr Simpson will receive an Australia Fire Service Medal which, he said, “really is an honour.”
After he and his wife moved to Cockatoo in 1977, he needed something to do.
The Queen Scout was heavily involved in their local Scouting group when they lived in Carnegie, and he said he had to fill his extra time somehow when they shifted.
“I was used to doing something once a week,” he said.
“I ran into the bloke who was captain at the time, and he said come and join the CFA.”
“Now, here I am on my day off, down here, doing fire brigade work.”
In October 1982, Mr Simpson was made captain of the Cockatoo CFA and remained in this role for the next 11 years.
Only three months after he took on this new title, one of the biggest challenges and tragedies to face CFA volunteers hit Victoria, the Ash Wednesday Bushfires.
“That was definitely a speed bump in my life,” he said.
“It was a big thing because it was state-wide.”
Mr Simpson explained that as the only emergency services centre in Cockatoo, they were the centre of attention and a huge spotlight shined over them.
“All the focus was on us,” he said.
As the captain at the time, Mr Simpson oversaw all the operations in his area, and said the effects of Ash Wednesday left a lasting impact on him.
So much so that Mr Simpson is determined to ensure the effects and memorabilia from this time continue to live on.
As Chairman of the Ash Wednesday Memorial Project Committee and President of the Township committee, Mr Simpson is excited to oversee another community project.
A museum, dedicated to memorabilia, photos and more from the Ash Wednesday fires will be opened next year.
Mr Simpson said that while the museum will be based in Cockatoo, it will encapsulate Ash Wednesday Victoria-wide.
This project will come after many others that the Cockatoo Citizen of the Year for 2002 has overseen.
Mr Simpson said he felt truly honoured when he discovered he would receive his fire service medal.
“It’s a highlight,” he said.
“It really is an honour to receive it considering they only hand out so few a year Australia-wide.”
Mr Simpson said it was a great feeling to be recognised for his years of service to the local CFA and community as a whole, but refused to take all the credit.
“I am receiving it on behalf of a hell of a lot of people that haven’t got one yet,” he said.
The criteria for this award included an achievement or success in difficult or unusual circumstances, or a high level of performance with significant outcomes.
Grateful to be nominated, the current secretary/treasurer of the Cockatoo CFA doesn’t see his involvement ending any time soon.
