By Alesha Capone
Tributes are flowing for long-serving Werribee Fire Brigade member Ken Heddle, who passed away this month.
Ken, who served in the brigade for 57 years, died after a battle with illness.
Ken, who joined the brigade as a junior member in 1961, served in the CFA and MFB.
He also volunteered at the Fire Services Museum for 25 years.
He joined the Eaglehawk fire brigade after moving to the town in 2018.
In September, Ken received a medal for his 60 years of service.
At the time, Ken said his favourite part of being with CFA was the companionship he shared with other members.
Ex-Werribee CFA captain and Ken’s brother-in-law, Darryl Wells, served for many years alongside Ken.
“When he was young, every time the siren went off, he was keen to see where the trucks went and visit the station from a young age,” Darryl said.
“Ken also got involved in judging at firefighter competitions, became involved with various committees and ended up being track master for many regional and state competitions.”
Ken served as the Werribee brigade’s secretary from 1992 to 1996.
“He was one of the best secretary’s I had the pleasure to work with,” Darryl said.
“Ken was above all a firefighter, he was outstanding in his service and absorbed as much information as he could.”
In a post on its official Facebook page, the Werribee Fire Brigade said that Ken was “a great friend to us all”.
