New Tongala Fire Brigade CFA life members Rick Szakiel and Ken Ferguson on Saturday night.
Ken Ferguson is Tongala born and bred - something he wears as a badge of honour.
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While that badge is invisible to most, another more tangible one was pinned to his chest at the Tongala Fire Brigade CFA awards night on Saturday.
Mr Ferguson was a fitter and turner at the town’s famous Nestlé factory at the height of its operation, married a “local girl” 52 years ago and, in 1975, joined the Tongala Fire Brigade.
It was the last of those celebrated unions that was at the heart of his most recent recognition on Saturday evening.
Mr Ferguson and Rick Szakiel were rewarded with CFA life membership at the brigade’s awards night.
They were among 16 of the brigade’s 25 members who were recognised with service medals, certificates and national medals by District 20 Commander Darren Crawford.
Mr Ferguson started in 1975, his first assignment as a non-member when recruited by his brother-in-law to assist the Koyuga CFA to provide flood relief during a 1974 disaster.
More than a dozen members of the Tongala brigade were recognised with service certificates and medals at the awards ceremony.
His service has been unbroken since then, including a brigade record of 14 years as captain.
The brigade has been a big part of his family’s life, he said, explaining sons Peter and Howard also inherited the volunteer gene.
“Peter has been in the Kyabram brigade for 15 years and Howard has been in a variety of roles for the last five years,” he said.
Nowadays, Mr Ferguson is heavily involved in delivering the brigade’s Fire Safe Kids program, at both Tongala kindergarten and primary school.
Mr Szakiel started in the CFA in 1989, at Lara near Geelong.
He moved to Tongala 10 years ago and has also been in various roles.
The Tongala brigade, on average, responds to about 130 calls a year.
They are on track to do that again in 2024, with 65 calls so far this year.
Ironically, one of those was at the end of the night’s awards ceremony, when the Tongala Hostel fire alarm went off and signalled a rush to the tanker in response.
These were the recipients of awards:
Five Year Service Certificate: Noah Wright, Grant Rayson and Diane Clarke.
10 Year Service Medal: Matthew Burt and Jak Van Roy.
15 Year Service Medal: Bruce Hope, Ross Taylor and Skye Tyler.
20 Year Service Medal: Breony Wright, Susan Duggan and Tristan Hornbuckle.
25 Year Service Medal: Ashley Wickham and Justin Weeks.
30 Year Service Medal: Matthew Clarke
CFA Life Medals: Ken Ferguson and Richard Szakiel
Tongala Fire Brigade’s two new life members, Rick Szakiel and Ken Ferguson, flank brigade captain Tristain Hornbuckle and District 20 Commander Darren Crawford.
National Medals: Tristian Hornbuckle, Ashley Wickham, Susan Duggan and Richard Szakiel
Brigade captain Tristan Hornbuckle has been at Tongala for the past seven years and captain for the past four.
Ashley Wickham’s connection to the brigade runs much deeper than most members. Her grandfather, Peter Steepe, started at Timmering brigade before joining Tongala.
“He helped to build the original extension. My dad Brian is still in the brigade, along with my sister Skye and my husband Craig and my nephew Kane Tyler,” she said.
“My son, who is just eight, can’t wait to be a firefighter.”
Longevity in the CFA was underscored by the District Commander explaining that during the week he had presented an award to a CFA member from Loddon Vale who turned 100 and had been a CFA volunteer for 80 years.
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