Gold stars for two Kerikeri firefighters

United Fire Brigades Association representatives Colin Kitchen (second left) and Ray Topia (right) presenting gold stars to Steve Edwards and Noel Green, while Deb Green looks on. Photos / Peter de Graaf

Two Kerikeri firefighters have been honoured for a quarter-century of volunteering for their community.

Noel Green and Steve 'Mudguard' Edwards were awarded gold stars marking 25 years' service at a function at Kerikeri Sports Complex in a case of third time lucky, given that two previous attempts to present the medals, in April and September, were derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

By the time the awards night finally rolled around Green had clocked up 26 years, the first six years in Paihia and the rest in Kerikeri.

The long-time pump operator/driver said he loved being part of the brigade.

''I just like helping the community,'' he said.

His most memorable callouts included the Moerewa kura fire in 2008 and the Homestead Tavern blaze in Kerikeri in 2002. The toughest callouts were the car crashes.

''There's a lot of sad things, but a lot of good saves too," he said, adding that he was grateful to his family for putting up with 26 years of him running off, sometimes part-way through dinner, any time the fire siren sounded.

Meanwhile, Edwards first joined the Kerikeri brigade 34 years ago but had a number of breaks, which included eight years working at the Australian Antarctic base.

Among the thousands of callouts since then a crash at Bulls Gorge stuck most firmly in his memory.

''I had to go and tell a mate his wife had just died. I thought it was better that I told him than someone else," he said.

However, he got great satisfaction from helping people out of situations they couldn't get out of themselves. It wasn't just people either - in 2009 the brigade got a heavily pregnant horse out of a river on Waipapa West Rd.

Being part of the Northland Peer Support Group, offering counselling to firefighters after particularly tough callouts, was also satisfying.

Other speakers shared stories about how 'Mudguard' got his nickname along with a tale involving Edwards, a parrot and the Ōpua ferry, while former Kerikeri firefighter Charles Le Couteur, who came up from Southland especially for the occasion, described Green as "the epitome of a volunteer firefighter who always turns up with a willing smile and a willing heart."

The gold stars were the 11th and 12th awarded to members of the Kerikeri Fire Brigade.

Other awards

Three-year certificates: Connor Graham, Anna Burton.

Two-year silver bars: Wayne Timson (total service 7 years), Glen Scott (7 years), Mark Wood (9 years), Craig Bacon (9 years), Steve Mortensen (9 years), Jacob Pille (9 years), Simon Trye (9 years), Craig Laybourn (11 years), Brett Curtis (13 years), Andy Hamberger (15 years), Ngaia Cruden (17 years), Kevin Graham (17 years) Ben Scott (19 years).

Two-year gold bars: Glen Riley (29 years), Don Kemp (43 years), Greg Imms (52 years).

Five-year medals: Shae Donohoe, Roger Talbot.