Lloyd Harris followed his father and older brother into the fire service when he was a school-leaver working in shearing sheds.
He changed careers as opportunities arose and circumstances changed but has remained a committed volunteer for half a century.
After deciding shearing sheds were not for him, Mr Harris took up a carpentry and joinery apprenticeship, which ultimately led him to work on the Clyde Dam project.
"I didn’t really like [the shearing sheds] but it taught me to work and to work along with different people and ... see different things and aspects of their job."
He worked his way through the fire brigade ranks, becoming training officer at Omakau for nearly 10 years.
During that time he was instrumental in setting up the Omakau first-responders unit, which would become a job and a passion.
"I was playing golf and there were two or three farmers, wealthy farmers from the Becks area, Omakau area that had moved to Alexandra, but they were playing all this sport in Omakau on a Tuesday and a Saturday, golf and bowls on a Wednesday, Saturday bowls. And I said to one of them, I said, ‘why did you build a new house in Alexandra? Why didn’t you just build in the new subdivision in Omakau?’
"And he said, ‘there’s no medical help for the elderly’."
He went to the ambulance service looking for training to support life until an ambulance could get there.
An ambulance was either 20 minutes from Alexandra or 30 minutes from Ranfurly, he said.
"On a fire brigade callout I [went to was a] heart attack in Ophir many years ago. I waited an hour and a-half [for an ambulance] and it’s the longest time I’ve ever been with a patient, and I didn’t have the knowledge then."
It took some convincing, but eventually it was agreed a first-responder trial would be run in 1996.
The Central Otago training combined the Omakau crew and a group from Omarama.
"The ladies were from farms in the Lindis, where all the car accidents are. They were in the same situation as us, waiting on ambulances and people dying, and people moving out of their area because there is no help for them."
The first-response team attended about 80 calls a year.
Their vehicle was set up like an ambulance without a bed as they did not transport patients, Mr Harris said.
"It’s been the best thing that I ever did. And it’s probably the highlight of my career ..."
Omakau was hugely supportive of its volunteers.
"They really look after us. If it wasn’t for our community, we wouldn’t have it. And it’s because we look after the community that the community’s given back."
While the crew were fire brigade members, the first-response vehicle was funded and run by the community.
Always keen to expand his knowledge, Mr Harris worked for St John in Alexandra for nine years.
After retiring from the Omakau Four Square shop, he wanted to complete his training as an EMT, which he had begun while volunteering as a night shift ambulance officer in Alexandra.
When the rules changed before he completed his training he applied for, and got, a permanent job.
"I did nine years on the frontline after retiring. So I only finished about a month ago. I learned a lot, you know, for patient care and all that sort of thing. I really enjoyed it. I still do the Omakau stuff.
"So that was my last bit of work. And now I’m just on a hobby farm, retired."
His family had been fantastically supportive, he said.
Next month, for the first time in 50 years, he and his wife Trish were going away to celebrate their wedding anniversary.
"My wife was very understanding and my kids were too ... You know, they’ve been through the 50 years as well."
