Dargaville firefighter Gary Murdoch honoured for service to community

Gary Murdoch is chuffed to be recognised. PHOTO/File

Dargaville good sort Gary Murdoch reckons he might have a good reason to crack a bottle of whisky he has been saving for a special occasion.

The 79-year-old great-grandfather has been recognised for his services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the community with a Queen's Service Medal.

"I got a bloody letter and it bowled me. I had no inkling whatsoever about it. You feel very proud though."

Mr Murdoch has been a volunteer firefighter 52 years, joining as an 18-year-old just home from compulsory military training and rising through the ranks to the position of station officer with the Dargaville Volunteer Fire Brigade.

He has also been brigade secretary for 35 years. He is a past president and life member of the Northland Fire Brigades Sub Association, having also served as secretary from 1998 to 2012. He also served on the executive of the Auckland Provincial Gold Star Association for eight years in the 1980s.

A keen rugby man he has also been a committee member and club captain of the Dargaville Rugby and Sports Club. He has been involved with club projects to construct and further develop their clubrooms. But his commitment to the community didn't stop there.

He was a member of the management committee of the Northern Wairoa Returned and Services Association for 12 years, having been a member of the association since 1959.

He has served in the role of Funeral Officer since 2000 and still drives the courtesy van.

Mr Murdoch has provided help to community fundraisers and functions and was named Dargaville Person of the Year in 2015. He's planning low-key celebration involving cracking a bottle of Bell's Whisky with a friend.

He was honoured to be recognised and he reckons wife Helen, who died 18 months ago, would be chuffed for him.

"I'll leave a little bit of whisky for her in the bottle, just a little bit mind you."

He was proud of serving his community but humble about being acknowledged.

"You couldn't find a better bunch of guys to work with," he said of his firefighting mates.