Ashburton Courier: December 03, 2020

www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
NEWS
Ashburton Courier, December 3, 2020
3
Fire veteran keeps gear at the ready
MICK.JENSEN
@ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Des Syme was afresh­faced 16­year­old when
he joinedthe Alford Forest Rural Fire Force
and 62 years on he’s still afire volunteer.
Now approaching his 79th birthday, he has
no intentions of hanging up his fire gear.
Since1995 he’s beenpart of the Lauriston
force and enjoys the camaraderie.
The brigadehelps bring the community
together, he says.
‘‘We’ve got 22 or 23 at Lauristonatthe
moment, includingtwo women,and they’re
mostly farm people or people working in the
rural sector.
‘‘Forme, the force is about rural folk
supporting otherrural folk.’’
Des,who stilllends son Nigel ahand with
his silage business, is not as activeasheused
to be, but makes some of the 50 callouts
typically received at Lauriston every year.
His first ever callout as ateenager was to a
fire in the north branchofthe Ashburton
River.
‘‘I rememberwehad trouble keeping up
with the speed of it and we struggled to pump
water out of the creek to controlit.
‘‘I learnt early on that you can’t always beat
afire and sometimes you just have to watch it
and keep aclose eye on it.’’
In those early daysDes was working for Bob
Whiteman at Staveleyand was the young gun
in the newly­formed Alford Forest force,
which also included Trevor Grigg.
‘‘We had apump on atrailer and couple of
hoses and there was no source for carting
water.
‘‘Back then, Ithink there was just one tanker
in Ashburton and anotheratMethven.’’
Things are much more sophisticated today
and there are radios for contactand fire
volunteers are alerted by an app on their
phone, he says.
The biggest fire Des rememberswas one
that was swept by the winddown the river at
Mt Somers anumber of years ago and burnt for
afew days.
He says more rules and regulations have
steadily been introduced overthe yearsand
there is astrongemphasis on healthand
safety, which is agood thing, and also on
medical training for firefighters.
MP on mend
after tumble
Rangitata MP Jo Luxton
was sporting 10 stitches
in herlegs when shewas
swornin to the53rd
Parliament last week.
Mrs Luxton fell down
four concrete steps at her
Wellington flatthe day
before the ceremony and
hadaquick trip to MP Jo Luxton
Wellington Hospital’s
emergency department via ambulance. She
hadbeenretrieving the key left out for
husband Matt and missed astep.
Shesaid the rough aggregate surface took
its toll andshe looked downtosee hershin
bone exposed. Patched up by ambulance and
then hospitalstaff, she ended up with nine
stitches in her left shin and one in her right;
she also had abruise on her jaw.
Mrs Luxton said she also had atetanus
injection and is on antibiotics to deal with any
infection. The stitches comeout tomorrow.
Thetumble meant she hadmissedacouple
of engagements, but she is returning homeat
the weekend and willbejudging the floats in
the Timaru Santa parade on Sunday.
Mrs Luxton said she planned to hold some
electorate clinics and is finalising the details
of her new Ashburtonelectorate office.Itwill
be in the same rooms used by former
Rangitata MP AndrewFalloon, in theAllenton
shopping centre.
Theoffice will be managed by Georgie
McLeod and shouldbeupand running by the
NewYear. It will be open Tuesdaysand
Wednesdays from 9am until 2.30pm andstaff
are triallingThursday hoursof1­6pm.
Mondays and Fridays arebyappointment.
‘‘You can’t just get on with it like we used to
have to do in the old days.’’
Des said no­one on his watchhad ever been
hurt in the line of duty.
The former Springburn School and Methven
High pupil has been acknowledged on
multiple occasions over the years for his long
and loyal brigade service.
He is rightlyproudofhis service record and
displays his servicebadges and trophies at
home.
Another big part of his Des’s life has been his
involvement with an old time music band,
whichhestill occasionallyplayswith.
Des has been adrummer from the age of 12
and his fellow band members have included
the likesofhis brotherJohn, Jim Harmer,Jean
Greensladeand Rex Cochrane.
Des has three children and four
grandchildren and has been married to Kaye
for 57 years.
Right: Des Syme has clocked up more than 60
years of rural fireforce service.
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