Clyde Chief Fire Officer Richard Davidson was presented with a 50 year service medal on Saturday night, surrounded by family, friends, colleagues, and the community.
Other brigade members were also honoured at the dinner and prizegiving night. Guests from United Fire Brigades Association (UFBA), Central Otago District Council, Otago Southland Provincial Fire Brigades' Association and the Central Otago Sub Association came to celebrate the service of the ''guest of honour'', the 129th recipient of the award.
In a speech to a packed Clyde Memorial Hall, former UFBA president David McFarlane said it took a ''special kind of person'' to give 50 years to the community.
A special tribute was also paid to Mr Davidson's wife Vivien and his family for their support. Mr McFarlane also spoke on behalf of the NZ Fire commission. He said it often forgot to recognise the work the firefighters did.
''It is important to recognise this occasion as a very special community celebration,''Central Otago deputy mayor Neil Gillespie spoke of a man who has had ''only one thing on his mind - the community''.
Mr Davidson joined the Clyde Fire Brigade in May 1965, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, who were also firefighters.
His greatest pleasure of the past 50 years was the opportunity to help make a difference in people's lives, he said. He spoke of young people who had ''fallen through the cracks'' and the brigade being able to take them on and help them see their potential.
But what did he make of all the people who had put on the party for him? ''Overwhelming. You don't do it for this reason,'' he said.
Other brigade honours
31 year gold bar, John Haig; 15 year service bar, Brian Ultee, Murray Petrie; 13 year service bar, Mathew Murphy; 11 year silver bar, Ronald Bowen, Wayne Hill, Peter Robertson; 9 year silver bar, Peter Jenkins, Stacey Haig; 3 year certificate, Chloe Dowling.
