Around the clock service to the community

by Jodie Guest, CFA Public Affairs

Whether he was at work or in ‘leisure’ time, Brian Neal’s just one of those blokes who is in some way serving the community.

After nearly 34 years on staff, Brian retired as a CFA career firefighter earlier this year but remains a volunteer with Upwey brigade in Region 13. Brian worked as a Fire Officer at Boronia station for the final part of his working life with CFA – from 1994 until retirement.

However, he served at many stations throughout his career, including at Springvale, Geelong City, Dandenong, Bendigo, and Belgrave (when it was a career station). He has also relieved at stations throughout Victoria and worked at Headquarters.

Additionally, Brian was instrumental in establishing CFA’s fire investigation capability in 1988 and, non-operationally, formed our Sports and Recreation Association (CFASRA), with the backing of CEO Neil Bibby.

Brian said he became involved in fire investigation and played a crucial part in establishing what evolved into CFA’s procedures today to formalise what was previously an “ad hoc” system.

“Just like all firefighters, I wanted to find out why – and how – fires started. I still investigate today and have seen big changes and the introduction of Victoria’s Fire Investigation Policy.”

Brian is a life member of the International Association of Arson Investigation and helped form – and is Vice President of – the Victorian Association of Fire Investigators.

He also began CFA’s official Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) involvement when in 1984 the Hazmat management team built vans and began identifying such incidents for firefighters and firefighting, arising out of a state-wide dangerous good survey. He’s also been an instructor in Hazardous Materials, fire investigation and more.

Brian’s career standouts include Ash Wednesday, when he was stationed at Belgrave (then an officer-only station), the 1997 Dandenong Ranges fires, 2002 North East and Gippsland fires and hundreds of house and factory fires.

Brian’s CFA participation began at Springvale, where he volunteered from 1967 until joining the staff in 1974. He was among the second group of career firefighters to train at Fiskville, under the tutelage of then-Chief Officer Clarrie Howe. Firefighter graduates were issued with a belt, axe and key in those days.

His CFASRA involvement arose from his love of sport and volleyball and role as CFA’s representative on the Victoria Police Games Federation representative from 2000.

Brian said he enjoys seeing CFA members involved in sporting events such as the Relay for Life, Murray to Moyne bike race and the Murray Marathon (paddling), along with an “excellent turnout” for the World Police and Fire Games in Adelaide last year.

Married to Gail, with three children ranging in age from 21 to 26, Brian said he’ll spend his retirement time on travelling overseas and “doing what I want to do”.

But he’ll have to fit that in around his other community service. He’s also involved with the Upwey-Belgrave RSL and is a long-serving Army Reservist. He’s progressed from being a qualified parachutist and air dispatcher (“throwing stuff out of aircraft”) to organising road transport and now takes care of the movement of personnel and equipment. “I’m effectively a travel agent for the Army.”

Brian said he’s also got a knack for recruiting – he’s been active in that since 1983 - and directing people to the right job in the Defence Force.

Brian said his drive for community service came from a commitment to “communities and Australia. I just think it’s the right thing to do, while I understand other people don’t necessarily have that commitment.”

Brian has been awarded CFA long service medals, the Australian Fire Services Medal, the Reserve Force Medal and the Australian Defence Medal in recognition of his long and committed service to those organisations and the community.