The CFA has been a way of life for volunteer Colin Squires for more than 50 years. The Truganina resident spoke to Esther Lauaki about how he has maintained his enthusiasm all these years.
What’s your connection to the local community?
I’ve been a local resident and worked in Werribee since 1954. The family home was on the very land where the Truganina brigade is built. When we first came to Werribee we moved to a house off Railway Avenue and from that house we could see all the way north for as far as the eye could see.
How did you become involved with the fire brigade?
In those days, only farmers lived here and firefighting was a part of self-preservation and looking after each other’s land. It was all part of growing up; it was just what we did and [joining the brigade] just happened. It was a natural progression, our way of life.
Tell me about your involvement in the Truganina CFA brigade.
I was just a kid in those days [when I started out], but we’d drive a tractor with a water tank behind it to the fires. There was a group of farmers and everyone would just get together and roll up their sleeves and help out. I officially joined on November 25, 1963. I was captain from 2003 to 2012 and have had many different roles in the brigade over the years.
I’m extremely community-oriented and being part of the brigade has always been very important to me and my family. All my children went through CFA and still volunteer today.
You’ve been serving the community and fighting fires for more than 50 years. What are some of the memories that have stayed with you?
For as long as I’ve lived here, there has always been a fire truck parked outside my home. When you have a truck in your yard you can hardly not turn out to every call-out. At the last count [I had attended] in excess of 7000 call-outs.
I’ve turned out to the high-profile fires, Ash Wednesday in South Australia and Gippsland bushfires, and some of the horrific traffic accidents have stayed with me … and all the good times we’ve had at the state CFA championships. Those good times also stand out.
