Nick McCabe with partner Jan Sellers has been nominated for an award. Photo / Herald On Sunday
Nick McCabe with partner Jan Sellers has been nominated for an award. Photo / Herald On Sunday
KEY POINTS:
John Tupara still wears gloves to protect the burn scars on his hands but if he was called on to help his Australian colleagues fight bushfires again he's "fully functioning and ready".
Mr Tupara, 48, was one of eight Kiwi firefighters injured when battling the devastating December bushfiresin Victoria.
And he has been nominated for the Spirit of Mateship Awards as part of next week's Anzac commemorations.
Along with four other firefighters, Mr Tupara will attend a gala dinner in Auckland on Tuesday to celebrate the depth of friendship between the two countries.
Mr Tupara, a father of one from Taupo, said the nomination was an honour for all 112 firefighters who travelled to Australia.
The work they did there, and the reception they received from colleagues and members of the public, showed the Anzac spirit was as strong as ever.
"We worked together, played together and got hurt together. It shows the unique relationship we and the Australians share and long live that."
The awards were established last year by Tourism Australia "to honour selfless Kiwis and Aussies whose actions epitomise the depth of friendship between our two countries".
The inaugural winners were Aussie Mark Smith and Kiwi Steve Freeman who survived being adrift in the South China Sea for 11 days in December 2005 after the motor yacht they were ferrying to Australia sank.
This year's five nominees are all from the contingent of firefighters who travelled to Victoria before Christmas as bushfires destroyed thousands of hectares of bush and threatened many small towns.
Mr Tupara was one of 11 who dived into a ditch as a fireball swept over the top of them. All needed hospital treatment for burns to their hands and faces.
Nick McCabe, from Nelson, was also among the injured and is another nominee for the awards.
"In the circumstances I found myself in, I found the bond between Kiwis and Aussies was extremely close, as close as any family," said the 45-year-old.
The other nominees are Ian Millman, 54, from Wellington, Angie Rodger, 39, from Lower Hutt, and Rob Clarke, 46, of Helensville.
National rural fire officer Murray Dudfield said the five did not want to be treated as heroes.
"They feel truly humbled to represent their colleagues," he said.
