At a ceremony on the weekend, Kevin Malcolm and Marty Rendall were honoured for their quarter-century helping their community.
Mr Malcolm said he actually joined the brigade 26 years ago, but delayed receiving the honour so he could get it with his friend.
''Like everyone who joins the brigade, I joined to help the community, be a part of the community. It's the comradeship and the friendship.''
The community was ''incredibly supportive'' of the brigade, he said. This meant most businesses were used to letting their workers rush off to callouts at a moment's notice.
In the past 10 years, an important part of Mr Malcolm's duty was raising money for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand through the Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge.
''It's another way to help out. It's just something you do as a fireman.''
Mr Rendall joined the Lake Hawea brigade at the age of 17 and two and a-half years later moved to Alexandra.
Family support was crucial to being a volunteer firefighter, he said.
''If you haven't got the backing of your family, you're wasting your time.
''Both our wives are always there for us. They're the ones who have to put up with us when we come home in the middle of the night cold and smelly.''
The perks of the job were the friends he made and people he met.
''If you can get through Christmas day or a birthday without getting called out, that's a real perk.''
The men have seen destruction in their duty including widespread flooding in 1995 and devastating grass fires in 1999.
''Every time the hooter goes up you're going out there to help someone that 99% of the time is someone in our community. It's a service we do,'' Mr Rendall said.
''As soon as you stop enjoying it, you should get out.''
Alexandra Chief Fire Officer Russell Anderson said the honour acknowledged the pair's part in a ''valuable team''.
''It recognises the time they've given up and what they've given to the community.''
The men received gold star medals and were also made lifetime honorary members, along with brigade member Mark Donald.
