FIRE BRIGADE REPORT 

Well once again we are facing COVID impacts, and have had cases of our Volunteer Firefighters having to isolate due to having Covid or as household contacts. We have been very fortunate that this has not impacted on our ability to respond to calls or our Medical First Response into the community. 

But it has impacted on meetings with response partners, and progressing with recruitment especially of specialist Medical Responders. If you have contacted us but haven’t heard back this is due to us being unable to advance plans for training and we have been closed except for essential business so cannot meet with you. 

Rest assured you are not forgotten, and we are doing everything in our power to get back to usual, which includes hosting an open recruitment night for those who have expressed an interest to join as medical responders.

We have continued with a busy month of mainly medical responses, you don’t hear the fire siren sound for medical response calls that we undertake in our current support 4WD, it only sounds when our main fire appliances respond, and we are currently doing about 3 times the number of medical calls than the fire calls the appliance attends, with a total of over 50 responses so far this year.

With COVID cases being managed and isolation in the community please ensure that if our Medical First Responders arrive at your house or business, that you are wearing an appropriate mask and answer any questions around symptoms or tests honestly, ensuring our Responders are able to be best protected and we can continue to provide medical support to the Community.

Promotions have been occurring behind the scenes with Brett Townsend becoming Qualified Fire Fighter (Brett a First Responder too!), and Chris Hooson being promoted to Station Officer in our Operational Support/Medical Response Unit. Recruit Firefighter Charles Beijen is off to his recruits course and we welcome Tamara Hudepohl as a recruit, and she is also looking to be a medical responder too.

If you are interested in becoming a Firefighter like Tamara or are interested in being a dedicated Medical Responder (you can be both if you want !) please contact our Chief Jake Hawkins directly by emailing – Jacob.hawkins@fireandemergency.nz and we will be in touch as soon as we get a bit more normality around everyone’s lives.