Local Brigade’s longest serving member recognised
OFTEN it’s the quiet achievers that deserve the loudest applause and long standing volunteer Peter Young seems no exception. Over the years, Peter has volunteered with various local sports clubs and organisations including committee positions with Glass House Mountains Sports Club, P&C and local tennis club. He has been a foundation member of the Glass House Mountains Apex Club and long serving member of the Glass House Mountains Rural Fire Brigade with over 30 years of service under his belt. Like many of our ‘old school’ volunteers, Peter is much more comfortable talking about the achievements of the brigade and his local community rather than speaking about himself.
Last month, Andrew Powell MP acknowledged Peter’s outstanding community commitment at the Glass House Volunteer awards. Mr Powell said Peter was a very deserving nominee, and he was pleased to honour his service. Mr Powell said Peter was nominated by the brigades First Officer, Anthony Rook, which was a wonderful way to show gratitude for the longest serving member of the Glass House Mountains Rural Fire Brigade.
“I think Anthony said it best in his nomination when he stated that everyone in town knows Peter. After more than thirty years of service in the Brigade, I am sure they do. Who knows how many homes and lives Peter has saved over the course of his volunteering with the Brigade?” Mr Powell said.
When contacted by GC&M News, First Officer Anthony Rook said Peter was a well-respected member of both the brigade and Glasshouse community and had served in many different positions including First Officer for a number of years since joining in 1992. Anthony said while Peter served as First Officer he had been instrumental in the consultation and construction process of the first phase of the current station. Anthony said this was a monumental achievement as this upgrade and modernisation signified the first time since the formation of the brigade in 1948 that fire appliances and equipment were housed in one central location as opposed to being stored at various local farms across the district.
“I feel that I can confidently speak for all our long serving members when I say that the Glasshouse Mountains Rural Fire Brigade which is Queensland’s first Bush Fire Brigade would not be where it is today without the selfless dedication that Peter has shown toward the brigade and his community over the past 30 years,” Anthony said.
While Peter may have stepped back from his First Officer duties, he is still currently serving as the local fire warden for the Glasshouse Mountains district. Peter, a third generation Strawberry farmer, said he had lived all his life in the area and said the brigade had evolved in many ways over the years from a group of farmers who would ‘down tools’ and help each other out if a fire struck to a broader community based brigade.
Peter said in the early 1990’s the brigade only had a handful of volunteers and following the widespread devastation of 1994 bushfires, the decision was made to reform as a community fire brigade which subsequently attracted around 20 local members. He said while he appreciated the recognition, he wanted to also acknowledge other long standing brigade members such as Alan Smerdon, Dave Gower, Charlie Pike and Steve Rook amongst others. He said he had always enjoyed volunteering in the community and was pleased his son Aidan was also involved, marking the fourth generation of family member involved in the brigade.
