Hartley has been well in the News of late. If anyone deserves the front Page of the Lithgow Mercury, it’s Ian Campbell.
The following article was published in the 11th June edition of the Mercury, written by Len Ashworth.
WHEN around 40 volunteer members of the district’s bushfire brigades receive medals later this week recognising their invaluable contribution to the community there will be one standout.
Ian Campbell will receive an award for 50 years service to the Hartley brigade, an effort that few can match in an organisation acknowledged for its selfless dedication.
When students from St Thomas Aquinas Primary School at Springwood visited the Moments in Time exhibition at the old Hartley School it was a good opportunity to also visit the fire shed next door, check out the vintage firefighting trucks and hear about the work of the brigade from Ian.
The trucks are still mobile relics that depict just how far RFS equipment has come over the years. When Ian Campbell began his service the brigades had to scrounge for whatever they could find, largely with pensioned off military equipment, as with the old ‘Blitz’ and tanker in the background.
“I well remember driving the tanker back from the Moorebank army depot in 1965,” Ian said. On Thursday night more than 40 volunteers from across the district will receive their service medals at a function hosted by the Rural Fire Service at Club Lithgow.
