"And that has been the case of many volunteers."
John retired earlier this month as manager of Search and Rescue after 17 years of service with the North Canterbury Coastguard.
"I decided that as I was approaching 83, it was time for me to step aside and let someone younger take over the role."
He is humble as he reflects on his service to Coastguard where he has held several roles and been recognised nationally on a number of occasions.
He was "just one of the team", John says.
"The difference being during a callout I was privileged to lead this team of highly trained, dedicated volunteers as they went about their business of rescuing people."
His job was to ensure the unit and its systems were maintained in a constant state of readiness to respond quickly to an emergency, and provide technical assistance to the crews during search and rescue operations.
"It is a technical and demanding job, but like all Coastguard roles the more you put into it, the more you get out of it.
"There is no greater satisfaction than being part of a team that has just brought a person, facing a life-threatening situation, home safely to their family."
John started as a trainee at Coastguard and worked his way up to senior rescue crew level, before specialising in Search and Rescue management and rounding off his training on the Search And Rescue manager’s course at the police training college in Porirua.
He was elected president of Coastguard Waimakariri Ashley (now Coastguard North Canterbury) in 2015. He served as president for four years, during which time he became the Unit’s SAR Manager.
"I can remember after the Canterbury earthquakes we lost a lot of members and contacts, with people moving out of the district.
"It was hard just keeping the unit operational.
"I was the president then and can remember working 20 to 30 hours a week, helping to rebuild the membership, raising community awareness, building relationships with councils, police, Environment Canterbury, Civil Defence, rewriting the unit’s standard operating procedures and preparing manuals."
Meanwhile, he was still running search and rescue operations and holding meetings while working out of two temporary premises as Coastguard’s home base was being rebuilt.
"Fortunately, the whole team stepped up to the challenge and finally, after a lot of intensive training and hard work, we not only had some of the youngest skippers in Coastguard New Zealand, but had built up the highly efficient well-resourced unit that we have today.
"They were tough times but we got through them."
Later that year he was awarded New Zealand Search and Rescue’s certificate of achievement for exceptional commitment to Search and Rescue by then Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy.
"That was quite nice," he says.
Coastguard North Canterbury also awarded John life membership in 2020, and he remained the SAR manager until last month.
"We operate a very robust regime of succession planning in our unit. Everyone has a deputy who can step up to take over their position when and as needed."
John has lost count of how many rescues and calls for assistance he was involved in over the years, but believes it must be "over 100".
"I have enjoyed every moment of working with such a professional team of volunteers.
"I will continue to remain a member of Coastguard North Canterbury, mainly in a supporting role, for as long as I’m needed."
