It was a surprise for Jordan Simpson when he found out that he was nominated for Campaspe and Echuca’s Citizen of the Year award.
“I feel very privileged, especially the fact that people went out of their way to keep it from me. They knew I wouldn’t want anything like that,” he said.
“They tried to keep it a secret, but they couldn't. They had to tell me yesterday that I was nominated.”
Nominated for his work with the CFA, Jordan has been a dedicated member since 2017.
“My stepdad Dan is involved. I sort of got dragged along to a couple of things and got involved that way,” he said.
“Then I turned 16 and became a firefighter because I just enjoy doing it.
“I think more than anything, the friendship, the social side of it, many new people, having almost like a second family and helping people at the same time.”
Notably, in 2022, Jordan made history by being elected the 4th Lieutenant of Echuca Fire Brigade, becoming the youngest in the brigade's storied history.
Jordan’s influence extends to the sports arena, where he coaches senior and junior running teams and has participated in events such as the Good Friday Appeal and the Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb, raising funds for cancer and mental health.
Despite all his hard work for the community, Jordan still questions, humbly, whether he should have received the award.
“I sort of thought that there was probably some more deserving people than me, because I just do what I do because I enjoy doing it,” he said.