Respected leader honoured with AFSM

Brendan commenced service with CFA in 1971 at Greenvale Fire Brigade where he quickly rose to the rank of Captain, a position he remained in for 13 years.  

He said he joined the fire brigade after two volunteers came knocking on his door.  

“I was at university at the time and they asked if I wanted to come along to a meeting,” he said. 

“I left as the brigade secretary and I haven’t looked back. 

“I have friends that are no longer involved in CFA but those bonds are so strong that they have lasted beyond the realm of the fireground.” 

Brendan moved to central Victoria about 30 years ago which saw him transfer brigades and begin his journey with Loddon Vale Brigade, where he remains an active volunteer.  

Throughout his decades of service Brendan has held many leadership positions including Captain, Lieutenant (1st, 3rd, and 4th), Group Officer, Deputy Group Officer, Chairperson of the district planning committee, and secretary.  

“I see CFA as my hobby,” Brendan said.  

“I am interested in so many parts of it and I have risen through different roles but it’s the good friends and the interest I have that keeps me involved.” 

Brendan has a keen interest in mentoring and succession planning and not only identifies emerging leaders but creates opportunities and supports them to strengthen their leadership capabilities.  

He is a current member of the state ‘empowering youth leadership’ committee and was an original mentor in the ‘captains peer mentor’ program.  

Brendan is also a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, challenging local brigades to look beyond the traditional views of what a firefighter is.  

Due to Brendan’s campaigning there has been a surge of female recruits in their area. 

“I used to be involved in the military and that really sparked a love of good leadership training in me and I try and offer that wherever I go,” Brendan said. 

“Hiding under the yellow gear you might have a brain surgeon or a street sweeper but people come to the fire station and they put on those overalls and it doesn’t matter.” 

In 2015, Brendan helped join key leaders to discuss rural decline, identifying issues this creates for volunteer services and community.  

Brendan was also instrumental in the 10-year project to design and build a purpose-built fire truck, incorporating design features which have become the standard in today’s trucks.  

He said the project was born out of necessity. 

“We used to respond at Melbourne airport to events that had planes with litres and litres of jet fuel with out little Austin truck,” he said.  

“That as well as the growing urban area meant we needed something to adapt to those changes so we started working on it. 

“Today CFA call that truck an ultra-heavy tanker.” 

The truck that Mr Blake helped design was in service until 1998, when it was retired to the Australian Road Transport Heritage Centre in Gundagai (where it is still on display). 

“I asked the museum when I visited why they wanted this truck and they told me that it was so ahead of its time that they just had to have it,” he said.  

Brendan has led firefighters on many deployments including Cann River, Grampians, Gippsland, Kinglake and interstate. 

He was a strike team leader during ‘Ash Wednesday’ at Bullengarook, and he was an active and supportive leader during the tragic 1977 fire season.  

He was also part of an exhausting campaign during the 2019/20 season at the Dunns Road fire in NSW.  

“There are always a range of emotions when you are involved in events like those,” he said.  

“During Ash Wednesday my team were able to save a few houses and that is what makes it worth it. 

“We don’t do it for the praise; we do it because we are part of the community and achievements like being able to save those houses make it all worthwhile.” 

Brendan said not a moment of his time with CFA has been spent thinking about awards or accolades, but he is incredibly honoured to accept this prestigious award.  

“I am very grateful to be nominated,” he said.  

“It is wonderful after all these years, but I haven’t achieved what I have achieved by myself. I have always had the support of brigades, and CFA staff from across the state. 

“My family has been the biggest support too. When I am away on a strike team someone still has to feed the cattle, so they have been frontline too.”