Moss Vale fire fighter Dean "Deano" Cross has retired from Fire and Rescue NSW after 38 years.
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His devotion, service and friendship was recognised by colleagues from fire stations at Moss Vale, Bowral, Mittagong and Nowra at a recent celebration at Dormie House.
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Of his colleague and friend, Moss Vale Fire and Rescue captain Ian Thorpe said: "He was always first to put up his hand."
Mr Cross describes his decades-long career as "crazy but absolutely fulfilling".
He said he was proud to have served the township of Moss Vale and surrounds.
"It leaves me emotional because it was so good," Mr Cross said.
However, Mr Cross didn't grow up wanting to be a fire fighter.
"Back when I started you were invited to join if they thought you would fit in with the crew," he said.
Despite this, Mr Cross said joining was the best decision of his life.
"You get so much satisfaction doing it," he said.
"I was very proud to serve my community."
Mr Cross has seen some "horrific" things over 38 years, in particular many car accidents on the Hume Highway.
"When I first started the Hume Highway was a single road, up and down," Mr Cross said.
"I saw some horrific things but when you're out there you are just concentrating on what needs to be done - stopping spillages, putting out fires, giving first aid to people if they're injured or trapped, and assisting people."
Mr Cross said the trauma hit when the job was over.
"It's not until you go home and you're in the quiet that all of a sudden things hit you," he said.
"I've been so lucky because of all those few thousand incidents I've been to there's only ever been one that knocked me about."
Mr Cross said the comradery and team-centric work environment helped.
"It's a team but they're also your mates," he said.
"You will do whatever you can for them, and they will do whatever they can for you."
Mr Cross said community first responders live in fear of turning up to a job and finding a relative or loved one injured or worse.
"There have been car accidents around here where I knew the people involved but thank goodness they were only injured, they weren't fatalities," Mr Cross said.
"I've been lucky to be able to say that in 38 years I never come across a relative or a loved one who was seriously hurt or anything like that. I'm just so lucky because that does happen."
Despite the risk, Mr Cross will miss the job.
"I'll miss it, but I'm happy to be getting a good night's sleep," he said.
After so many years on call Mr Cross is learning to adapt.
He said he became accustomed to a life filled with adrenalin.
"It's just such a constant part of your life," Mr Cross said.
"I've become used to being busy 24 hours a day. It's good knowing that I can now jump in a car on a Saturday and go down the coast without worrying."
He said Fire Rescue have a 24 hour seven day a week guaranteed turnout.
"We have a team of 14 on a roster system. For me that was 4pm to 6am every day Monday to Friday and then I was always available on the weekends," Mr Cross said.
"When I first started I had a job that I could leave during a shift so I was able to be available 24 hours a day seven days a week but in this job [Endeavour Energy] I'm working on power lines so you can't just drop everything and go."
Fire and Rescue NSW region south two duty commander Dean Campbell and deputy commissioner Megan Stiffler joined the farewell at Dormie House, which is a tradition amongst local brigades.