Dennis Alexander with the first uniform he was issued.
Dennis Alexander with the first uniform he was issued.
Firefighting has been a lifelong passion for Dennis Alexander.
The 70-year old was recently presented with a double gold star for serving 50 years as a fireman and made a life member of the Eltham Volunteer Fire Brigade.
His love of firefighting is reflected in an old cheese factory on his Lower Hunter Road which has a memorabilia room packed from floor to ceiling with thousands of diecast models, fire extinguishers, badges, flags and memorabilia from around the world.
The first fire truck Dennis Alexander was given when he was five years old.
His collection has been accumulated during his lifetime and includes the first ever fire engine he was given when he was five. The little truck is in good condition, with hardly a mark on it.
Now the cake he presented to mark his fifth decade as a fireman will also be added to the collection.
"It's too good to cut up."
Dennis Alexander says his cake is too good to cut up. The cake was made by Annette Dudley - an award-winning Eltham based cake designer.
Dennis hopes to preserve the fire truck fruit cake forever and is looking for a fish tank to put the cake into before sealing it up and putting alongside the rest of his memorabilia. The red cake took Eltham cake maker Annette Dudley of A Love of Cakes by Annette, about 10 hours to make.
Dennis has been a volunteer fire fighter in Eltham for 10 years and previous to that, he was a career firefighter in New Plymouth for 20 years. His career got underway at Mt Maunganui in 1964 where he was an auxilliary fire fighter.
He then moved to Auckland where he was a career firefighter from 1965 before going on to work in Wellington, Petone, Lower Hutt and central Wellington. The Fire Service was familiar to Dennis as his father was a volunteer fireman and his grandad superintendent of the Thames Volunteer Fire Brigade.
Dennis enjoyed being a fireman, but says being in the volunteer brigade was also enjoyablefor the comradeship and great friends.
"I have really enjoyed the last 10 years in Eltham."
Dennis has been involved in fundraising efforts for a tanker through the Eltham Fire Tanker Trust. The first tanker was purchased in 2009 and sold three years ago to buy a later model tanker. The trust has also used money raised to purchase a brand new transit 12-seater van for the brigade.
He has spent spare time restoring a 1959 Dennis Firetruck which he bought six years a go. The truck was in a poor state after being left outside but it's now a shiny red, occasionally coming out of the shed to attend public events.
The truck has sentimental value for Dennis who used it when he worked in Lower Hutt. Its "sister" truck, which came from England, was the truck Dennis went out on his first fire call in at Mt Maunganui. Dennis says he can't see himself stepping aside any time soon.
"I will keep doing it as long I can be of use. When it comes to a point when I think I am liability then I will pack it in. I hope I can do more before I kick off."
Visit Dennis' Fire Model and Memorabilia Room. Email firedupnaway@windowslive.com or call 0212079544.
