By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS
MOUNT EVELYN CFA Officer in Charge and District Mechanical Officer Brendan Collier said goodbye to the CFA last week at a lunch attended by officers from District 13.
CFA officers attended a lunch at the Olinda Creek Hotel in Lilydale to honour husband and wife retirees Brendan and Alma.
Mr Collier has dedicated 35 years of service to the CFA as District Mechanical Officer (DMO) as well as performing other high-ranking roles in the CFA during his career.
He has spent the last seven years as DMO and OIC at Mt Evelyn Fire Brigade, after transferring from Wangaratta in 2007.
Mr Collier was presented with a CFA plaque and a certificate of service from CEO of the CFA, Michael Wooten.
There were 65 people in attendance from CFA District 13 and the Collier family at the celebratory lunch.
“This is all a bit humbling,” Mr Collier said during his acceptance speech.
“The CFA is a family and I’m proud to be part of the DMO section. It’s been a great 35 years and it’s the friendship and the mateship I’ll remember.”
Mr Collier started his time with the CFA in the junior brigade at Frankston and quickly moved up the ranks to become a permanent employee with the DMO in 1980.
During his career with the CFA Mr Collier was appointed Manager of Fleet Reliability and Manager of Fleet Maintenance.
Mr Collier was also presented with the National Medal and CFA life membership medal in 2013, and a 35-year clasp at the end of 2014.
Although Mr and Mrs Collier have finished their term of employment with the CFA, they still remain as volunteers with the organisation.
“After all this time you can’t just down tools and walk away,” Mr Collier said.
He added “I’m really not much of a public speaker” and was relieved when the presentations were over.
Mr and Mrs Collier have plans of travelling around Australia now they have time to themselves.
“We want to go wherever it is warm and wherever takes our fancy,” said Mr Collier.
“I think we’ll go somewhere far away from fire season.”
