When Anthony Archer moved to Kilmore in 1984, there wasn’t much more than a fire station, a football ground and a general store.
But it was that fire station – and the people in it – who have become like family over the years.
Today, Anthony is honoured to become a recipient of the Australian Fire Service Medal.
“I know it takes a lot to receive an award like this, a lot of hard work and I’m very proud,” he said.
Anthony has been an active volunteer within the Kilmore Fire Brigade since 1985. He has served diligently as an officer of the brigade for 25 years, including four years as Captain.
He is enormously committed and dedicated to his brigade. This is best demonstrated by the fact that out of all members of the brigade, he attends the highest percentage of the yearly average of 250 call outs.
He attributes this to the supportive employers he’s had, including the Kilmore International School, where he has been a maintenance worker since 2010.
“They have been outstanding in letting me do the work I need to do to keep my commitment to CFA.”
Anthony has held many positions in the brigade including Captain, and since then as 1st Lieutenant, and has been proactive about fire prevention planning. He has held many fireground leadership positions including Strike Team Leader, Sector Commander and Field Plant Supervisor.
He actively represents the brigade on a variety of committees, and is heavily involved in fire station maintenance, fundraising, fire prevention, and was a key player in the design and commissioning of a structure-fire training facility at the Kilmore Fire Station, which is also used by neighbouring brigades.
In 2006 Anthony was deployed to Washington State as a part of a multi-agency Australian contingency to the largest out-of-control fire in the north western US at the time.
The deployment provided Anthony with valuable expertise in wildfire and urban rural interface fires, and cross-agency tasking of firefighters. He has now shared his experience through the development of several scenario-based training exercises that rapidly develop student’s knowledge, competency and confidence in their ability to take on leadership roles.
His passion, attention to detail, innovative training style and dedication to CFA and Kilmore Fire Brigade has resulted in retention of new recruits, progression of members to step up to leadership roles, and enhanced the reputation of CFA volunteer firefighters.
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