Long service awards were presented to Ron Laidlaw and David Ross-Soden for 75 years of service and Ron Munro for 65 years of service.
Friends and family gathered to congratulate the three life members at the first meeting held by the brigade in about 10 months due to COVID-19 disruptions.
Strathmerton Fire Brigade captain Evan Bourchier welcomed the gathering.
“The recipients were very pleased and the brigade was proud to bestow the awards,” Mr Bourchier said.
“That amount of time is incredible to be involved in one organisation and they've been involved in protecting life and property not only in Strathmerton but in the wider state for a long time.
“Not many organisations have this level of commitment and it shows the high calibre of CFA volunteers.
“This is a way we can thank them for their service and commitment to the community.”
Mr Laidlaw, from Numurkah, spent the coronavirus lockdowns polishing the brigade’s trophies.
“They were getting all tarnished and gee, it made a difference,” he said.
Mr Laidlaw's father Robert Laidlaw was the original Strathmerton Fire Brigade secretary in 1934.
“When he passed away I'd just left school and was interested in it, so I took on the secretary role and I kept it for 40 years,” he said.
Mr Laidlaw was surprised to have his family attend the awards ceremony.
“My sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons came out, I didn't expect them to come,” he said.
“My great-grandson says he wants to be a fireman when he's older.”Mr Laidlaw said he still has a sense of curiosity when he hears a fire alarm but knows he can no longer get involved in the action.
“There's a lot of young members in the brigade now, which is very good,” he said.
Shepparton's District 22 commander Peter Bell presented the awards, recognising a combined 215 years of service.
The ceremony was held on March 10 at the Strathmerton Fire Brigade station.
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