| Roles held: | Captain 1980 – 1988 |
| 2nd Lieutenant 1978 – 1980 | |
| 3rd Lieutenant 1976 – 1978 | |
| Firefighter 1968 – 1976 |
David was born at Hastings on 10th February 1948, the sixth child of Mary and Neale Wright. He lived at 13 Cliff Road Shoreham and was educated at Red Hill Consolidated and Rosebud High School.
Weekends, he worked with his brothers at the family sawmill either logging or making seedling boxes and grew up in Shoreham. On completion of his education, he came to work at BHP as a plant operator. In 1975, he re-joined the family business as a director and has worked there until the present.
Middle left to right – Rod Wright, Hilton Wright holding his son Andrew
Front left to right – Charlie, David and Geoff Wright
He is married to Sandra and lives in Nelson Street Shoreham. He followed in his fathers’ footsteps by joining the Shoreham Fire Brigade and served his apprenticeship as a fireman. He helped to build the Fire Station and gave considerable time around Shoreham collecting donations for both the station and the Fire Truck, before becoming Captain in 1980. He was actively involved within the region and was Captain during the Ash Wednesday disaster. When the call came for volunteers to man the Shoreham Tanker, he was off with the brigade to the Dandenongs and worked tirelessly for more than 12 hours before being relieved by his brother Geoff.
During the next four days he was back and forwards to the Dandenongs with relief crews, while work continued at the mill with a reduced staff. General comments from all those who attended the Ash Wednesday fires were that it was the most frightening time, when all the elements were against them – the members of the Shoreham Brigade – more than they had ever encountered. Many people lost everything and, in some cases, they were only able to save the sheds or fences – and people who lost everything thanked the members for trying to save their homes and belongings.
During the next 5 years the brigade continued excellent work under David’s leadership as Captain and he can look back on his time knowing he served his community and the Shoreham Rural Fire Brigade until 1988 very well.
By Roderick Wright (elder brother of David)
An extract from the Shoreham Rural Fire Brigade, 50th Anniversary Booklet (1999)