Russell Grear has just received his 70 years of service medal from the CFS!! [On the 17th May 2026]

What an amazing accomplishment.

Russell joined the CFS when he was only 16 and achieved the State rank of Regional Commander as well as being the Captain of the Eden hills Brigade.

He has indeed dedicated his entire life to serving his community through the CFS and continues to do so to this day.

Thank you Russell! You have led by example; you represent the best in humanity; we are pleased you have been recognised for your service to the CFS.

Article and photo courtesy of Catherine Hutchesson, Member for Waite

For more on this event, see the SA CFS Promotions Unit’s news here: https://www.fire-brigade.asn.au/news_display.asp?Headline_ID=2093 or
On their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/SACFSPromotionsUnit/posts/pfbid02cRFqURS5AvVKLBT5TVdhfG2rkcxwiTJs6X6554iVNcsaCvuE6tozDHoVrqNdjmPVl]

From the Eden Hills CFS:

Russell started as a fire fighter when he was 15 years old and became Captain in 1966. In 1973 he was promoted to Deputy group officer of the Mitcham Hills Emergency Fire Service which became the Country Fire service in 1975.

He then became a staff member of the CFS and was promoted to the rank of Regional commander at Regional 1 at the Stirling base, which included the area from Gumeracha to Cape Jervis and including KI. He retired from that role in 2000.

During the Ash Wednesday fires in 1983 he was in the helicopter directing traffic from above. He has some real accounts of the destruction he witnessed from up in the air.

Russell was awarded life membership of Eden Hills CFs and in 1998 awarded the highest firefighter award in Aust, the AFSM medal (Aust Fire Service Medal). Quite an achievement!

Russell stood down from driving the fire appliances last year but still maintains attendance at the station when the pager sounds!