Local firefighter recognised in King’s Birthday honours

by DON HUGHES
23rd June 2025

GROWING up in The Basin, Colin Brown dreamt of becoming a full-time firefighter and joined his local CFA Brigade in The Basin as soon as he was able to.

“As a teenager growing up in The Basin, there was little to do to occupy my time,” Colin said.
“The local fire brigade was near my home, and hearing them regularly respond to incidents prompted me to join.
“Once I became a member, the camaraderie within the brigade and a sense of helping the community led me to pursue a career as a firefighter.”

However, in the early 1970s, to become a career firefighter in CFA or join the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, you needed to be 21.
This age limit had been established to counter National Service commitments in place at the time for the Vietnam conflict, where young, newly trained firefighters could be called up for 12 months of military duty.
Ever the strategist, at the age of 18, Colin discovered he could enlist in the Australian Defence Force as a firefighter.
So, in 1974, Colin commenced a 22-year career with the Army Fire Service, which entailed operational and training positions across Australia, and he instructed firefighters in Malaysia with the Army Fire Service training team.
He left the Army in 1996 as a Warrant Officer Class Two and began his career as a civilian firefighter.
Colin’s career has led him the role of Fire Rescue Victoria Commander at CFA District 13, and a former CFA Deputy Group Officer of Seymour Group.
He is also an accredited wildfire and structural fire investigator and has mentored prospective investigators undergoing training in the past.
He is currently also an active volunteer firefighter with Warrandyte CFA.
With more than 45 years of service, Colin has made a significant contribution to the protection of life and property at major fires, including Ash Wednesday (1983), Dandenong Ranges (1997), Black Saturday (2009), and the Cambarville fires (2019–2020).
He also managed emergency response as Incident Controller for complex fires including Dutson Downs Bombing Range (1999), Hazelwood Power Station (2000) and Maryvale Paper Mill (2001), and provided strategic leadership during the Victorian Alpine Fires (2002–03), Emu Track Fire (2003), the 2019–20 fires (in both Victoria and NSW) and numerous other large-scale emergencies.
Additionally, he has been involved in multi-agency emergency operations, working alongside Victoria Police, CFA, DELWP and other emergency services.

“One of the incidents that stands out for me is the Longford gas explosion in 1998.
“It was my first day as a CFA Operations Officer, and I was asked to lead the CFA Fire Investigation team in determining its cause,” Colin said.
“I was then privileged to be asked by ESSO Australia to support the Longford team to obtain their licence as a major hazards facility.”

Colin’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity in operational roles involving air operations and fire investigation paved the way for the first accredited female CFA air observer, and a joint agency training manual between CFA and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
His outstanding dedication and professionalism in improving operational incident management and fire safety has gone over and above any reasonable expectations and embodies the true spirit of an exceptional firefighter.
This wealth of experience and achievement led to him receiving the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours.

“Receiving the AFSM is very humbling, and I am privileged to be honoured by this significant award,” Colin said.
“CFA is a fantastic organisation.
“It allows you to challenge yourself and contribute to protecting your community.
“It provides you with opportunities to develop diverse skills, including leadership and teamwork, outside of your normal day-to-day life.
“I have also made many friends and acquaintances over my 45 years of service to the organisation and the community.”