BY HELEN COLLIER
WHEN you look back across a varied and distinguished career such as Vaughan Hinton’s, the common thread that runs throughout it is his work with people in need.
It’s no surprise therefore that at 81 years of age, he is an active member of his local fire brigade – Monbulk CFA.
Vaughan’s career started back in the days when the ABC broadcast in black and white.
In his twenties, he moved to Sydney to work with a humanitarian aid agency resettling refugees and his work took him to crisis situations all over Europe and Asia where he reported on and worked with people in desperate need.
In his forties he became a television producer with the ABC, creating the non-religious, religious affairs series ‘Compass’ with presenter Geraldine Doogue.
When Vaughan retired at 70 years of age, he moved to Melbourne to be near his family, but he wasn’t ready to put his feet up and live a quiet life.
A friend suggested he join his local CFA but his immediate reaction was ‘I don’t want to become a fire-fighter, so what could I possibly do for the CFA?’
He knew he wanted to volunteer in some capacity so he went to Monbulk CFA and asked if there was anything he could do. They welcomed him warmly and while he was very happy to be asked to make the tea, his competence was soon ‘spotted’ and he was asked to assist the secretary.
He did this and inevitably this led to him taking on the role.
He held the secretary position for the next six years.
Now he is happy to fire up the barbecue or make the tea, whatever is required of him, as part of the Monbulk Auxiliary Brigade.
“I suspect few people in the community appreciate the amount of time and effort that our volunteer fire-fighters put in to keep up their skills,” he said.
“Monbulk CFA Brigade responds to most road and personal accidents throughout the Dandenong Ranges in addition to fighting fires.
“The situations our brigade face are confronting and require high-level skills.
“These men and women live ordinary lives – raising families, working; the brigade is all extra.
“They have my admiration; I have seen emergency crews in crisis situations the world over and I know for a fact that our volunteer brigade members are among the best.
“Working with them, helping administer the Monbulk Brigade has been a remarkably rewarding experience, brightening this latter part of my life.”
Last year, Vaughan was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his services to the media and community.
