Fifty years in CFA’s service

WARBURTON firefighter Barry Marshall is celebrating 50 years of service as a CFA volunteer this week.
Mr Marshall, currently the president of Warburton CFA, joined the local brigade on 13 February 1956.
“My brother was a firefighter before me and when I was about 13 years old, I used to play around the fire station with my friends,” Mr Marshall said.
“A few years later, I got involved in the fire demonstration competitions because I was interested in keeping fit and my involvement grew from that.”
Mr Marshall said the camaraderie and mateship at the fire station and the opportunity to learn new skills are some of the things that have kept him coming back.
“You can walk into any fire station in the state and you’ll be made welcome.
“The CFA is like one big family and there is a lot of support and good friendships to be had,” he said.
During his 50 years as a volunteer, Mr Marshall has served as Warburton CFA’s first lieutenant from 1973 to 1978, and as captain of the brigade for 22 years from 1978 to 2000.
In 2000, Mr Marshall was named in the Queen’s Birthday Honour List and was awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal at Government House.
He attended major bushfires in the Upper Yarra in 1962, 1967, Ash Wednesday 1983 and 1991.
Mr Marshall was also largely responsible for the replacement of Warburton’s former fire station, which was built in 1932, with a new and larger premises in 1982.
For more than 40 years he has been assisting the Warburton Chamber of Commerce, the Warburton Advancement League and the town’s cricket club by driving Santa Claus in fire trucks each Christmas.
Mr Marshall said he would not have been able to maintain his involvement with the CFA if it had not been for the support of his wife of more than 40 years, Sue
“Sue is my backbone and has supported me all the way,” he said.
Mr Marshall celebrated his 50th anniversary with family and will be awarded a medal for his service to the CFA in the coming months.