Two founding members of the Waitahuna Volunteer Fire Brigade were recognised for half a century of service each, as the brigade marked its 50th anniversary last month.
The celebration, held over March 27 to 29, saw Fire and Emergency New Zealand and local council dignitaries join current and former brigade members and their families.
Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Daniel Wark said having the founding members present was a highlight.
"It’s really special that the brigade turned 50, but it’s amazing that two of those founding members are still serving members," he said.
Firefighters Kevin Cutler and Russell Homer each received 50-year service medals during the anniversary dinner, attended by about 160 people at Simpson Park in Lawrence.
Today’s brigade had about 15 members, and responded to 45 callouts last year, its busiest on record.
The brigade’s capabilities came to the fore during last year’s October 23 windstorm.
Conditions made things challenging, but the brigade persevered into longer-term community support.
"Initial response was pretty challenging but we stepped up and ended up running the station as a welfare centre for the community," CFO Wark said.
"We had a big generator up from town and got a Starlink going so the community could just come in and sign into that, check on loved ones, communicate with the outside because there just wasn’t any other communication. Brigade members were coming in and manning all that, as well as trying to tidy up their own farms, so that was quite special and I know the community really respected it."
CFO Wark said the brigade’s strength lay in its people.
"I think that the camaraderie and the atmosphere of this brigade keeps people in for a long time."
That longevity remained evident to this day, with long-serving members such as 85-year-old Kevin Cutler still doing his bit alongside rookies, including CFO Wark’s 17-year-old son Lachlan.
He also acknowledged the wider support network behind the brigade, including employers and families "left at home when the siren goes", as well as decades of community fundraising that helped build and extend the station.
