Group photo of all Te Awamutu Volunteer Fire Brigade members present on the evening. Photo / Jude Shaw
Group photo of all Te Awamutu Volunteer Fire Brigade members present on the evening. Photo / Jude Shaw
The Te Awamutu Volunteer Fire Brigade had its annual Service Honours and awards evening on Saturday, November 19 at the Te Awamutu Fire Station.
There was no event last year which made this an awesome evening to take time and enjoy service achievements over the last two years.
Similar to most events in late 2021, the Te Awamutu Volunteer Fire Brigade decided it was not appropriate to have a large gathering last November 2021, especially being a community emergency response organisation.
After a couple of years of initial service, the members tend to be honoured every second year in their Community Service with a 3-year certificate, a 5-year medal and 2-year service bars to their medals every two years, etc. This in turn gave the brigade a unique opportunity to have 32 out of 40 of its members be presented with a service honour of some sort which made for a full night of presentations essentially double the normal number of presentations.
Across 32 members of the Te Awamutu Volunteer Fire Brigade, they all have 588 years of total service as a collective.
“There were key milestone achievements with some individuals receiving their first service recognition being a UFBA (United Fire Brigade Association) 3-year service certificate through to 14-year NZ Fire Brigade Long Service Good Conduct medals and a 40-year Service certificate so a variety of individuals’ service achievements achieved that were gladly received. Some members enjoying the honours and awards evening for the first time was a special event for them,” says Danny Smith Te Awamutu Volunteer Fire Brigade’s station officer.
5 recipients of NZ Fire Brigades Long Service Good Conduct service award. L-R: Ken Callander (Clasp for 21 years' Service), Karl Tutty (Clasp for 21 years' Service), Allan Clark (LSGC Medal for 14 years' service), George Jensen(LSGC Medal for 14 years' service) and Danny Smith (LSGC Medal for 14 years' service). Photo / Jude Shaw
Danny said, “Importantly it was appropriate to recognise members and supporters present on the night and give thanks to those that allow us to volunteer day and night for the community.
“That is family, friends, employers and work colleagues. They carry the load when the siren and app go off for a callout or when away training and upskilling for the Volunteer Fire Brigade.”
Winner of Firefighter of the Year Lisa Atkinson (left) and winner of the Firefighter Excellence Award Helen Wilkes. Photo / Jude Shaw
All members volunteer their time generously to the Te Awamutu Volunteer Fire Brigade. Some go the extra step such as the case with this year’s Brigade Awards recipients Firefighter of the year Lisa Atkinson and Brigade Excellence winner Helen Wilkes.
The Te Awamutu Volunteer Fire Brigade had high attendance to weekly musters, callouts and extra duties that were carried out during the year.
This included mentoring new members, health, safety and wellbeing duties, coming back down to the station in their slippers when trucks returned from a busy callout to help clean and restore the truck so it’s ready for the next callout, even if they weren’t on the initial callout and general behind the scene tasks that help the brigade. All this is well running their own businesses and balancing family life.
Waipa District Mayor Susan O'Regan presenting Firefighter Anna Alexander with a 2 year Silver bar to acknowledge 13 years' service. Photo / Jude Shaw
“The brigade appreciated the presence of MP Taranaki-King Country Barbara Kuriger and newly elected Waipā District Council Mayor Susan O’Regan both present at the event to hand over service awards,” says Danny.
The Te Awamutu Volunteer Fire Brigade sends this reminder out to Waipa residents:
“If you’re cooked, stay off the stove” - 1 in 4 house fires start in the kitchen and 50 per cent of all fatal house fires involve alcohol or drugs.
Observe the fire restrictions this summer, visit www.checkitsalright.nz for the simple 3-step tool that tells you whether you can light your fire or do your outdoor work safely, what the fire risk is and what you should do to stay safe.
