AS the Hampden Rural Fire Force controller, Graham Aston has always told the volunteer firefighters ''if there's anything going on, I want to know - I don't want to hear it second hand''.
But they got something past him this month, when surprise celebrations were held for him and Phil Nicolson to mark their respective 41 years and 42 years with the Hampden force.
The event was held in Moeraki and attended by about 60 people, including members of the Otago Rural Fire Authority, past and present members of the Hampden Volunteer Rural Fire Force and surrounding volunteer fire brigades, as well as family and friends.
Mr Aston said he joined the brigade as a way to be more involved in the community and the camaraderie and friendships formed along the way kept him going for 41 years.
He has held the position of controller for the past 13 years.
One of his proudest moments was being part of the construction of the Hampden Rural Fire Station.
When the force was given a second appliance in the 1980s, it had no room to house it.
The council gave it a section of land in Lincoln St and $1000 towards the build, while the community came together to raise the rest, gathering about $12,000 through various fundraising efforts, and built the station themselves.
The whole community got behind the project, volunteering man hours to the build, and the estimated value of the new station was about $65,000, Mr Aston said.
At present, the Hampden Rural Volunteer Fire Force had 14 volunteers. It averaged about 50 callouts a year.
Four of the members were pushing 65, including Mr Aston, and they planned to hang in while they could, but were desperate for new volunteers.
''One day, those guys won't be available,'' he said.
''We need more, but the young ones just don't seem interested these days''He encouraged anyone over the age of 18 to consider volunteering, for the reward of the satisfaction of giving something back to the community.
''Every time that siren goes, somebody is needing help.''
He had seen many devastating fires and attended countless fatal crashes and reckoned that from Herbert to the Katiki straight, there would not be 1km where he had not attended a vehicle accident.
Otago Rural Fire Authority Deputy Principal Rural Fire Officer Kerry O'Neill said across the the Waitaki district, there were about 60 volunteers, spread across five rural fire forces. Not many volunteered for such a long time, he said.
''We get a few who get to 25 years ... but to do over 40 years is quite unique.''
Mr Nicolson and Mr Aston were both given Pulaskis, rural firefighting tools, in recognition of their long service.
''It's good for the community to know that these guys have been volunteering for more than 40 years,'' Mr O'Neill said.
