It was 1980, and Chris McBurnie, Charlie Hussey and Bill Muirhead had all joined before him.
Despite only signing up on their insistence, Macca obviously found his niche.
But after 42 years of responding to fires and other emergencies, he has hung up his boots and helmet for good.
Macca’s final day in uniform was actually in April this year - a special moment in itself - but he was officially farewelled from the brigade a week ago.
At that special ceremony at the Rams Football Netball Club clubrooms, he was congratulated and thanked for being “reliable, diligent, and a positive leader who gave unconditionally to keep the community safe”.
Over his years of service Russell proudly noted, “it’s like one big family affair, everybody looks after one another”.
He described his love for the job and the family atmosphere it had created.
Macca’s official last day as a firefighter was on Anzac Day.
He proudly marched in the service, as he had done in his fire uniform for many years previous, along side his grandchildren.
“It was a proud and very special time to have my grandchildren marching with me.”
Macca has seen and experienced a lot in 42 years of service, but there’s one particular fire that sticks out in his mind as the most challenging.
He was part of a strike force sent to battle fires which tore through parts of Sydney on December 24, 2001.
"We worked day and night, and I did not sleep for the first three days,“ he said.
More than 100 fires burned through parts of NSW and the Australian Capital Territory during those bushfires. They lasted 23 days and required more than 20,000 regular and volunteer firefighters as well as 85 aircraft.
There were extreme weather conditions across all affected areas during this time, with temperatures of up to 45°C and winds of up to 90km/h.
By the time the fires were extinguished, they had burned about 753,314 hectares, destroyed 109 houses and damaged a further 40,433 outbuildings, 222 vehicles, 7043 stock and 33 industrial buildings.
Macca was based in the Terry Hills area of Sydney during the operation.
Fire brigade competitions at both zone and state levels are also among Macca’s highlights.
He was the first firefighter from Deniliquin to win a gold medal at state level.
Having dedicated more than half his life to the fire service, Macca said it was time to step back.
“At 68, it’s time,” he said of his decision to retire.
“It will give me more time to spend with family, especially our grandchildren, and I’m definitely looking forward to me time.”
And what would Macca tell anyone considering becoming a firefighter?
“Sign up, you will have a great time,” he said.
“The sense of camaraderie and community service contributes to you enjoying your time as a member, and becoming part of a family environment.”
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