Busselton bushfire control chief Allan Guthrie has been awarded with an Order of Australia Medal in the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honour List.
Mr Guthrie was recognised for his service to the community through emergency response organisations.
"I was little bit surprised and a little bit honoured to receive the OAM, but I don't do what I do for the recognition," he said.
Mr Guthrie is community minded and does whatever he can to help out a fellow neighbour or person in need.
Since his youth he has been involved with many community groups and fire fighting services in the Margaret River and Busselton areas.
"It started right back when I was 16 years old, I joined Junior Farmers and Rural Youth later on, which got me off the farm and mixing with people," he said.
"When I was 17 years old I joined the fire brigade at Wilyabrup and became the fire control officer and the chairman of the Wilyabrup Fire Brigade.
"I later became the Shire of Busselton's chief bushfire control officer."
During this time Me Guthrie's father became a councillor with the Shire of Bussleton and later president.
"My grandfather was always helping people too, that was in the horse and buggy days, it has always been the in the family to help people," he said.
Mr Guthrie said he wasn't sure of the exact date he became the city's chief bushfire control officer but it was more than 25 years ago.
"It just snowballed from there and I have since joined the regional bushfire committee, and have been heavily involved with that for years," he said.
Helping the community is just in me, I do not like to see people battle, I like to help people.
- Busselton chief bushfire control officer Allan Guthrie OAM
"Helping the community is just in me, I do not like to see people battle, I like to help people," he said.
"That is why I will always put my hand up and send our trucks up to go and help at other shires and cities around WA.
"We have sent fire fighting equipment as far as Esperance, and north of Perth, which is part of the role I have.
"I get satisfaction from helping other people and I still find enjoyment from the bushfire side of things."
Mr Guthrie said he has seen the fire fighting change over the years.
"Now brigades are fully trained and fully supplied with trucks and clothing, we had none of that when I started," he said.
"I was prepared to get people trained to be on the fire ground, where others probably weren't because they started in eras where there was no fire equipment.
"Fire fighting has moved so far."
While controlling the city's fire fighting efforts, Mr Guthrie still finds time to help the elderly and battlers in the community.
"You just do it in the country, you know your neighbours and help as many people as you can."
