March Brigade Deputy Captain Ted Millsteed honoured with NSW RFS Commissioner's Commendation for Service

"But that was the end of the cricket," he laughed.

The end of his run-making yes, but just the start of an incredible era for Mr Millsteed.

Fifty-two years on, the now 80-year-old has basically dedicated his entire adult life to helping others through his service to the Rural Fire Service.

He's the long standing Deputy Captain for the March Brigade, and has fought just about every blaze in the region in that time while also traveling inter-state to tackle some of the worst fires the country has seen, including the Black Saturday inferno in Victoria in 2009.

He's had just one summer off in half a century, too, and he's done it all with little-to-no fuss. In fact, he still takes on strike teams, and between September 2019 to February 2020 was deployed in five of them, ranging from 12 hours to multiple days, from Snowy Monaro to Cudgegong and Glen Innes. He's also attended every local call-out and training session through the summer.

And it's that dedication that's led Deputy Captain Millsteed to be recongised with the NSW RFS Commissioner's Commendation for Service.

There's only one award with a higher rank in the RFS, and that's the Commissioner's Commendation for Bravery.

Deputy captain Millsteed already has a long service badge as well as the national medal, but his latest accolade is one few are ever afford.

Around half-a-dozen Commissioner's Commendations are awarded each year. Deputy Captain Millsteed's is for 2021, but that ceremony on Sydney Harbour alongside the commissioner was scraped due to COVID-19.

"He's only got us today, but he's got the people he knows and loves surrounding him," Canobolas Zone operational services coodinator Brett Bowden said.

"But as you heard, he's a terrific bloke. He leaves no stone unturned in an effort to assist people.

"It's very prestigious. And to be here in Mullion Creek awarding Ted today is spectacular."

Group captains from across the Canobolas Zone were on hand at Mullion Creek's Australia Day ceremony to help celebrate the honour with one of the region's most dedicated volunteer firefighters.

At some point or another, Deputy Captain Millsteed would have guided each and every one of them.

"I like helping people. I've always done that. Lot of people put their names down to go away and they don't know enough. I figure by me going along too, and I do know a fair bit if I do say so, I can help them," he added.

He described the Black Saturday disaster as "terrible" but often such circumstances bring out the best in Australians, and Deputy Captain Millsteed is no different.

After sacrificing plenty to travel to Victoria and fight one of the country's most devastating blazes, he no sooner returned home to Mullion Creek before jumping back in his ute with a tray full of fencing gear to help repair the damage caused by those bushfires down south.

And as for fires around Orange?

"There's been lots of them ... the one at Mount Canobolas though (was the biggest)," he said looking back at the start of 2018.

Deputy Captain Millsteed probably won't do the sort of travelling he's done in the last decade, given he turns 81 in April that's no surprise.

But he will continue to help, it's what he does best.

"I've always said I don't do it for the medals. It's just what I want to do, and that's why I go and do it. If I can help people, the people I've met over the years, there's another fire and we meet up again, it's all good company."

Inspector Bowden said it was a richly deserved award for the long-standing March Brigade Deputy Captain.

"Just the fact one of our own is being recognised is great," he added.

"It's great to see the award committee has seen fit to honour that nomination and bestow this fantastic award on the man. Ted's a humble gentlemen, and it's so good to see so many turn up today."

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