Community & Business
25 December, 2020
Rural firefighter awarded medals for service
MAXWELL Hubner, a founding member of the Paddys Green Rural Fire Brigade, was honoured for his 28 years of service on Saturday, December 12, being awarded a QFES medal and a QFES Outstanding Firefighter National medal.
MAXWELL Hubner, a founding member of the PaddysGreen Rural Fire Brigade, was honoured for his 28 years ofservice on Saturday, December 12, being awarded a QFESmedal and a QFES Outstanding Firefighter National medal.
The QFES medal was awarded for the amount of time thatMaxwell has spent volunteering for rural fire services while theOutstanding Firefighter National medal is rare with only five toten medals given away in North Queensland each year.
Originally a Fire Warden in Millaa Millaa Maxwell formed the Paddys Green Rural Fire Brigade after a massive blaze erupted in Paddys Green in 2010.
Maxwell has been a rural firefighter for 28 years with the last 10 of those being at thePaddys Green Rural Fire Brigade where he currently holdsthe position of First Officer.
When asked about why hevoluntarily puts his life on the line to battle deadly blazes Maxwell said that it’s just his way of giving back.
“I’ve actually got time to give back to the community and that’s what it’s about, it’s my turn to give back,” he said.
“You get very close with the people you work with and when you go out you want to knowthat the fella with you isn’t going to run when it gets bad.
“There’s a lot of trust and that is built up through working with them.”
Rural Firefighters in hisbrigade, himself included attend up to 30 fires a year in andaround the area.
In 2018 Maxwell was alsoawarded with the Commissioner’s Award for Excellenceto recognise his achievements and significant contributions that furthered QFES values and goals.
Now in his 70s Maxwell is still planning on answering thecall to fight fires in and around his own area for as long as he can while tending to his cattlefarms in Paddys Green and Millaa Millaa.
Congratulations.
