FIRE BOMB - New Zealand Fire Service

By Sandra K Bogart
Whangarei celebrated more than 700 combined years of
service, including two gold stars.
SFF Mark Wirihana organised the evening as a send-off
for Brown Watch’s Ray Bock and his wife Linda from
Edmonton, Canada, and for Blue Watch’s Mike Quinn
and his wife Kathy from the city of Ottawa in Ontario.
They were on exchange with Scott Kitchen and Gina
Gatman, and with Fraser and Sarah Wright respectively.
AAC for the new Whangarei-Kaipara Area Bruce
Emmerson, a two-year gold bar recipient for a total of
42 years, said the Whangarei Brigade members had
enjoyed the Canadians’ company. The Canadian
firefighters and their wives said they loved New Zealand,
which they said was like all the best parts of Canada
wrapped up into the size of the state of Alberta.
Long Service Good Conduct medals were awarded
to Dave Blacklock, Corin Stephen and Paul Ballentine
by FRM Trevor Andrews, who said the warranted
Events
Catching up with honours –
Whangarei celebrates
Whangarei Brigade members and
Whangarei-Kaipara AAC Bruce Emmerson
at the recent honours celebration.
Planning a party to farewell two Canadian exchange firefighters recently escalated into the
first honours evening in more than a decade for Whangarei, Northland’s only career brigade.
medals were presented by the people of New Zealand.
“What they represent to me is loyalty,” he added.
Gold stars were awarded to Paul Thompson, whose 25
years have all been in Whangarei and Adam Anderson
who was a member of the Orere Point and Kamo brigades
before joining Whangarei.
Kaitaia CFO Colin ‘Toss’ Kitchen said the Whangarei
Brigade was formed in 1902 after devastating fires in
1899 and 1900. Charles Chisel and Charles Eccles were
among the the first 200 firefighters in New Zealand to be
awarded gold stars, in 1925.
On a lighter note, SSO Bradley Cunningham was
recognised with the Crash of the Year 2009 award for
causing a bicycle accident in which several Fire Service
staff on a training ride locked wheels and Brad cracked
a few ribs.
In all, 35 Whangarei firefighters were awarded overdue
certificates, medals, bars and stars on June 27.
The New Zealand Fire Service Magazine August 2009
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