Martinborough Fire Brigade Report

This month sees the end of an era for the Brigade as Chris Hooson, the driving force behind our Medical First Response team, retires from the Brigade after nearly 29 years’ service to the community.

Chris began volunteering out at the Tora Brigade in 1996 when Rural Fire was Council-operated, becoming a Deputy Rural Fire Officer, Trainer and Assessor, and a member of the Rural Regional Incident Management Team. 

Chris was working full time for Wellington Free Ambulance (some of you will have seen Chris in his green WFA uniform). He went on to work fulltime for the NZ Fire Service in the Central Communications Centre, become a NZFS Regional First Aid Trainer, educating paid and volunteer fire crews, before returning to Ambulance in the Wairarapa as an Emergency Medical Technician, where he still works for WFA. 

When he moved into town, he transferred his volunteer service to the Martinborough Volunteer Fire Brigade.

Chris’ multitude of skills were utilised by the specialist Urban Search and Rescue Team, starting with a 5 year service commitment with the elite USAR TASK FORCE 1 in addition to his normal work duties. This saw him deployed down to Christchurch in the immediate aftermath of the Canterbury Earthquake in February 2011 and while one of his proudest moments, it is one he doesn’t talk about often.

In 2021 Chris was promoted to Station Officer Operational Support and was awarded the Gold Star for 25 Years’ Service, which he finally received after Covid delays, in 2024. 

Chris has been the driving force behind the development and leadership of the Medical First Response (MEDFR) team, working for years to get it off the ground, which in 2024 became the busiest in the country, and also previously led the Incident Support Vehicle project.

He leaves a huge legacy which he can rightfully be very proud of. 

Chris Hooson, thank you for your tireless service, you will be sorely missed.

Total number of fire and emergency calls for 2024: 363

A mixture of good luck and bad weather has so far resulted in a very quiet summer fire season. 

The catastrophic images from the LA fires are a sobering reminder of how fast fire can spread. 

The Fire and Emergency website has excellent resources for keeping your property as safe as possible.

Caption: Fire Brigade Gold Star holder Chris Hooson retires with rich legacy of service.