Ruawai Station Officer Anthony Blundell patches up a house hit by a mini-tornado in 2006. Photo/Tania Webb.
Ruawai Station Officer Anthony Blundell patches up a house hit by a mini-tornado in 2006. Photo/Tania Webb.
Northlanders are being encouraged to ‘be a road safety hero’ this Road Safety Week, which runs from May 20 to 26. The Advocate is recognising the efforts of those heroes who help make our roads safer.
In his 25 years in the Ruawai Volunteer Fire Brigade, station officer Anthony Blundell has attended more than 200 serious and fatal road accidents.
The high number of crashes he has responded to make him wonder why people are not more careful on the roads.
“I just can’t understand why so many people make careless decisions on the road. Since it clearly has a ripple effect throughout close-knit communities like Ruawai and others.
“In my experience speed is the biggest contributor for most fatals. Driving under the influence and not paying attention comes next.”
Blundell joined the brigade in February 1999. A few years later, he would attend his first fatal crash which he describes as the “most horrific scene”.
An elderly man died after his vehicle left the road and crashed.
He said people tried to help the man but in vain. When Blundell‘s brigade and other emergency services arrived, it was too late.
Blundell said they comforted “terribly distraught” witnesses.
The trauma of crashes not only impacted victims and their families but also the first responders attending it, he admitted.
There is one unfortunate incident he recalls quite often.
Blundell who also runs a business, Kaipara Kumara Ltd, remembers going to a crash where one of his employees had died.
“She was travelling with some friends when their vehicle missed a corner and went flying for a good minute or so before ending up in a canal.
“While the gentlemen in front were able to escape, they left my employee, a young girl, in the car.”
Ruawai Volunteer firefighters attend more than half a dozen fatal crashes in a year. Photo / Avneesh Vincent
Crash investigators later discovered that the occupants who saved themselves were “heavily” intoxicated and speeding.
One of the most recent crashes Blundell attended involved a person who also missed a corner, crashed into a tree and ended up in the canal. He died soon after.
Blundell said after each fatal crash, he and his fellow firefighters meet up at the station over a meal and refreshments and talk about how they felt.
He believed that having a close-knit team and the support of Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) helped keep their mental health in check.
“My only message for the public is to drive slow and drive to the conditions. Do not drive under the influence, and pay attention. Think about your dear ones and how it may affect them if something happens to you,” he said.
So far, Northland has seen 20 people - an average of more than one per week - die on the roads, police said.
Road Policing Manager Inspector Anne-Marie Fitchett said the road toll was already too high and the region’s driving culture needs to change.
“Making good driving decisions relies on a clear head, following the law and considering the impact of our driving on others,” she said.
This week, emergency services will combine to raise road safety awareness.
Today a child restraint workshop will be held in Raumanga, in Onerahi the workshop will be on Wednesday and in Otangerei it will be on Thursday, with all running from 3pm to 5pm.
On Friday, a Road Safety Hero relay will be held. It is backed by Northland Road Safety Trust, Northland Transportation Alliance, Plunket and NZ Police.
Avneesh Vincent is the crime and emergency services reporter at the Northern Advocate. He was previously at the Gisborne Herald as the arts and environment reporter and is passionate about covering stories that can make a difference. He joined NZME in July 2023.
