Profile - Ron Leary

Ron as he gives the closing thank you speech at the Championships

The culmination of Ron Leary’s time so far as president of the Region 24 Championship Committee was the State Rural Championships, held at Wodonga on 5 and 6 April.

Ron is the Pilot Group’s First Deputy Group Officer, and the Comms Officer for Stanley brigade, which is nine kilometres outside of Beechworth.

Ron joined CFA in 1965 and in 1978 was first asked to be involved in the championship organising committee. He’s now been president of the committee since 1999.

“I was in Stanley pub one Friday night and was asked what I was doing on Monday night. I ended up in Beechworth that Monday night and went from there – that’s how I joined the demo committee,” Ron said.

He said organising the state championships involved a committee meeting – it’s made up of members from 12 rural brigades in Region 24 - once a month and personally around three hours each night.

“It results in the pleasure of today,” he said, watching the juniors compete on 6 April. “Juniors are the future of CFA and we’ve got to find ways to keep them in brigades. I’m witnessing a young fella I trained and his son out on the track this weekend. It’s a thrill.”

Ron said the support of Stanley brigade members, the championships committee and regional staff made his life easier.

“It makes the president’s job much easier; very easy in fact. The committee are absolutely marvellous… what they’ve put in today and to the other demos has made them (championships) successful.

“I’d like to give my thanks to the regional staff, and the track people who have helped out this weekend and people from Region 22 and 23. They’ve been absolutely fabulous.

“Without a good committee, it’d be an absolute nightmare. We’ll pass on what we’ve learnt to the next region. And demos are great for the public to learn what fire brigades are all about.”