By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
IT’S fitting that Dandenong CFA life member and Springvale resident Russell Gray has joined his dad’s esteemed ranks by being awarded an Australian Fire Service Medal.
In childhood, Mr Gray would sneak into the back of his father Deputy Chief Officer Peter Gray’s car at night to see first-hand how fireys tackle blazes.
He would absorb and later mirror his father’s “hands-on” style, taking home and carefully tinkering and refining equipment such as hose nozzles.
His father was the first Victorian to be awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal – an award that Mr Gray has also attained in today’s Queens Birthday honours list.
Mr Gray, 65, who is still active as a trainer in the CFA, describes the medal as “the pinnacle”.
“These things are usually instigated by your peers.
“You don’t think about these things during your work. You just do the best job you can.”
His award recognises his 43 years of diligent service, his willingness to develop others and “uncompromising thoroughness” in product-testing equipment.
Mr Gray – who describes himself as “more practical than theoretical” – has headed working groups that tested and recommended hose nozzles, hoses and fire truck designs.
He would look at whether friction loss was impeding water flow through hoses, whether they could cope with everyday punishment, and whether the nozzles fired water straight and powerfully like a gun.
He has never been shy to point out product flaws to a grateful brigade or manufacturer.
“I was born into a fire brigade family,” Mr Gray said.
“That was all we spoke about.
“I’d see all this equipment being brought home to fix. I’d watch what (Peter) did – he’d pull things apart, mend the hoses and sew them.
“It was for the betterment of our products.”
It seemed natural for him to join the fire brigade, volunteering at Springvale’s brigade as a 16-year-old before being appointed to a paid role at Dandenong.
He paid tribute to the “just get on with it”, practical mentors in the brigade such as engineer and foreman Ken Talbert.
One of Mr Gray’s proudest achievements is coaching Dandenong CFA to three state simulated fire-run titles in four years; his regret was that Mr Talbert didn’t live to see it.
“Most people would say I was hard but fair.
“Sometimes when things don’t go right or people don’t listen, they got the Ron Barassi stare.
“I had to teach them how to win.”
