The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) counted 402 years of time volunteered among the Long Service Medal recipients.

Two men, Jack Hahn and Colin Barton, lay claim to more than a century of that tallied-time and were recognised for 51 and 50 years of service, respectively.

Mr Hahn, has been captain of the Dungowan brigade since 1980 and while ever he’s fit and firing he will keep donning the yellow shirt.

While volunteers, like Mr Hahn, could be on hand to help with “traumatic” house fires, motor vehicle accidents and large-scale bushfires, he couldn’t put a finger on what kept so many people putting their hands up to help.

“It gives you some sort of buzz to do it,” he said.

READ MORE:

He said the service’s demographics had changed markedly since 1966, now with many more volunteers who work in town, as opposed to brigades brimming with farmers in years gone by.

Colin Barton said he was just “one of the Indians” at the Gowrie brigade and followed his father’s footsteps into the service.

But it’s a sense of community spirit which has kept him in the service for so long.

“You might have a fire you need help with yourself one day,” he said.

“You never know if you’re going to need help.

“It’s just one way of getting involved in the community, there was no such things as medals when I started.”

Tamworth District Inspector Steve Prior praised the dedication of the long-serving volunteers.

“Fifty years of service tends to speak for itself, it’s very long-term commitment,” Inspector Prior said.

“They tend to be typical Australian quiet achievers, they probably don’t consider themselves to be anything special, but they have set a fine example.

NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons presented the recipients with Long Service Medals at a ceremony held at the West Tamworth Leagues Club on the weekend.

“These members do not volunteer their time in return for recognition or praise, however we do gladly present them with these medals as a proud acknowledgement of their efforts,” Commissioner Fitzsimmons said.

“While all the members being recognised are worthy of praise, I would like to make particular mention of Colin Barton and Jack Hahn, who have devoted 50 and 51 years to the Service respectively.”

“Colin is a well-respected member of the Gowrie Brigade who has attended many fires across the Tamworth District in the past half century while Jack, captain of the Dungowan brigade, is well renowned for his chainsaw operations and training skills.”

The Tamworth district service  also received two new tankers with MP Kevin Anderson handing over the keys on Friday.

“This week we saw the start of the Bush Fire Danger Period in 10 Local Government Areas including: Walcha, Armidale Regional, Glenn Innes Severn, Inverell, Tenterfield, and Uralla,” Mr Anderson said.

“With the desperately dry conditions, this summer is looking like it’s going to be a tough one for our volunteer firefighters.

Mr Anderson also congratulated the 19 medal recipients for their “exceptional level of commitment to their community.”