Peter Brick is one of Forest Fire Management Victoria’s leading Incident Controllers and last weekend a recipient of an Australian Fire Service Medal.
Starting on summer crew as a project firefighter in 2000, Peter, or ‘Bricky’ as he’s widely known, has worked his way up the ranks over the past quarter-century.
Within the emergency management sector, Bricky is widely recognised and trusted for his calm leadership in the midst of crisis.
While there have been countless deployments to every Victorian region over the past 25 years for Bricky, he says the real highlights have been the friendships developed, his time as a resident of Swifts Creek and an international deployment to Canada in 2023.
“Living and working in a small community it really brings home the importance of what we do as firefighters and land managers in protecting communities and helping managing fire in the forest,” he said.
“Leading the response to the 2019/2020 fires across the communities from Benambra to Tambo Crossing was a responsibility that came with plenty of challenges, but it was also a real privilege.
“Every team I lead I’m always inspired by the teamwork and camaraderie of everyone coming together and working to protect communities and the environment.
“There have been some really tough days, but it’s always the people that come together and help each other through those difficult days that makes me keep wanting to come back and help out.”