By Bridget Cook
VOLUNTEER firefighter Des Kleeman loves almost everything about being involved with the Pearcedale CFA.
So much so, that this month marks the 50th year the Pearcedale resident has been involved with his local fire brigade.
And that’s not the only milestone accolade he has received, with the News reporting on him last year when he celebrated an impressive 50-year milestone as a Scout leader.
Mr Kleeman, 71, said he originally got talked into joining the CFA, but had enjoyed it so much that he never looked back.
“I guess, I got talked into it as they wanted young people to join for the competition side of it,” he said.
“And it’s just gone on from there.”
Mr Kleeman said he has always loved being involved.
“The comradeship and friends I have made over the years has been great,” he said.
“I also love the rewarding side of it personally. There’s a great sense of satisfaction when you know you have helped someone at times.”
While Mr Kleeman said most things were great being involved with the CFA, but it also had its down side. “It can be a bit traumatic at times,” he said.
“Once you get that call out, you don’t know what you’re getting into. It’s sometimes an adrenaline rush, but when you get there you may not like what you see.”
Mr Kleeman said being involved in the Black Saturday fires at the incident control centre and seeing people who have died in car crashes had been the hardest parts of his job.
Some of Mr Kleeman’s family members have followed in his footsteps, with his granddaughter involved with the CFA and both his sons have been with the Pearcedale CFA in the past.
