Pub, post office in flames: Veteran firefighter shares memorable call-outs

When the flames were dead and security tape was placed around the building, a resident - not noticing the crisis that had just unfolded - tried entering the premises to post a letter.

This stood out in Mr Muir's mind as one of the more bizarre moments during his 39-year career as a firefighter at the Fire and Rescue NSW Warren station.

Later on the day of the post office fire, he would find out a friend of his had seen a man walking down the street earlier in the day dressed as Santa Claus with a sack over his shoulder.

It turned out this man was a robber, the sack on his shoulder was full of goods stolen from the post office, and he had set the building on fire.

Another time, Mr Muir was called out to see a Collie landmark in flames.

"There was a fire at Collie, at the old pub ... It was a pretty spectacular fire, pretty heartbreaking seeing the pub go up," Mr Muir told the Daily Liberal.

Mr Muir has been named winner of the Warren Shire Council's Community Service Award.

The former Warren Fire Brigade captain was taking a well-earned break when the Liberal spoke with him, but said he said he would always be involved with helping out his community.

The born-and-bred Warren resident said he would be interested in taking up a volunteer role in the future, such was his love for emergency services.

"It's been the friendships you get through working away on jobs and meeting new people," he said.

He also relished the training, including in first aid, and working with ambulance personnel and police.

"You get a relationship going with them," he said.

It's been a tough slog at times. Working in his role at the brigade, Mr Muir was on call 24/7, which he described as "just something I've done".

One of the biggest lessons he learned was "being able to communicate with people when they're stressed".

"I suppose that's the hardest thing - being able to keep them calm, and still being able to do your job. If it's a car accident, or a house fire, everybody is stressed out because their house is on fire and they're losing their gear, or they're trapped in a car," Mr Muir said.

"You have to talk to them and let them know what's going on, console people and let them know you're doing the best you can, and if you can save something, you will save it."

Mr Muir worked his way up the ranks to become captain and would attended an estimated 2,000 call-outs during this time.

His daughter, Angela Muir, is following in her father's footsteps as a firefighter.