Reddestone Rural Fire Brigade's 80th birthday celebrations at Glen Innes

About 70 people turned out for the Reddestone Rural Fire Brigade's event at Glen Innes Airport on December 2.

RFS dignitaries attended to present 17 long service awards to members, including some who have been involved for more than 25 years.

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Seven members were awarded life membership while others were presented with their qualification certificates and PPE patches for training they have done this year.

The life members are Richard Beeching, Selwyn Burgess, John Delaney, June Hidden, Stephen Langley, Athol Wartnaby and Harvey Young.

"We had family members and a lot people who wanted to be part of the day," club captain Wayne Wells said.

"I've only been involved since moving here before the 2019/2020 bushfires.

"My wife Sue and I were very quickly accepted into the brigade as newcomers to the region.

"I had a bit of a running joke on the day that everyone who received an award was my best friend.

"That's what it's all about though and there are plenty of people who have been part of the brigade for a number of years now."

The brigade was founded in 1943 as a community driven and managed organisation of local landholders with a shared objective of managing bushfires in their area.

It has survived changing economies of agriculture, tin and sapphire mining impacting the wider Glen Innes community's ability to fund smaller brigades, which at one point led to the possibility of disbandment.

However, It continues to work to fulfil its core mission of helping property owners in the brigade area and wider places with fire threats.

"I asked the brigade members once about why they were involved in the RFS," Mr Wells said.

"Our senior deputy captain Marty Williams said if someone is in trouble you'd want someone like yourself to be there.

"I've always thought that was a nice way of putting it.

"Another reason is we go out on equipment supplied by the government and tax payer where we turn someone's bad day into a slightly better day.

"You get a lot of reward out of that because people are almost always grateful that you've been able to help them."

The brigade thanked RFS Deputy Commissioner Peter McKechnie for attending the day, along with Inspector Scott Mack, Sally Kelly, and staff from the Northern Tablelands Fire Control Centre.

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