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One hundred and fourteen years of combined service was recognised recently at the Waikuku Beach Volunteer Fire Brigade honours night when fourteen members of the brigade were awarded long service awards.
Volunteer Shane Lloyd-Jones has been with the rural fire team for 31 years of service as a crew member and now trainer.
‘‘I started in the nearby Brooklands rural fire team all those years ago, and shared my time between there and the Waikuku brigade,’’ he says.
He likes helping people and considers it the best way to meet your community.
‘‘It’s like being part of a big family, over the years even our kids felt like they were raised by the village as we all know each other and work together.’’
He believes the more you put into a community organisation, the more you get out of being with a team.
Now he guides the next generation of firefighters.
‘‘It’s a challenging world we live in. Today we don’t know what we will turn out to as we respond to medicals, assist urban fire brigades and also cover rural fires.’’
Life member recipient Penny Stewart has been a driver and team member at the brigade for 15 years.
Her assignment has been driving the team's Big Jim water tanker.
The petite crew member says many have raised an eyebrow watching her deftly climb up into the cab of ‘Big Jim’ but none question her abilities at manoeuvring the heavyweight along narrow forest tracks to reach fire hot spots.
‘‘I’ve worked how to elegantly get up using the wheel and the handles to enter the cab, it’s been a lot of fun,’’ she says.
She started as a support person with the team, helping out wherever she could.
‘‘They asked me to join them because I had gotten my Heavy Transport licence at age 55, and they needed a hand driving the tankers.
‘‘I have found it a great experience being part of the team. It has helped me grow in myself, as it gave me that extra push to do something to help others in what has become my extended family here at Waikuku Beach,’’ she says.
Twenty-seven years ago, Jim Gardner was one of the original members of the rural fire team established at Waikuku Beach.
The newly minted life member says he joined after they had a big fire there, and fire fighting teams were formed to look after the small seaside communities. In 2003 he was appointed the Rural Fire Controller/Chief Fire Officer for the area. ‘‘I have loved being part of a close group of community-minded people who are also an integral part of their communities,’’ he says.
Naomi Whyte joined the team 19 years ago and says she has always been fascinated by the work of the brigade. ‘‘It’s fun being part of a big family, and yet it's a very dynamic work environment.
“Things change all the time, but I get a strong sense of achievement by being part of the team here,’’ she says. ‘‘It’s very rewarding work and has given me the confidence to try new things.’’
Brett Reed celebrated 21 years of service at the Brigade and joined because a couple of his mates said he should.
‘‘It’s been a lot of fun over the years, I have made many good mates and learned a lot of new skills,’’ the current deputy controller said.
‘‘It’s a family-orientated brigade, where everyone works well together,’’ he says.