Civil Defence long service awards presented

Two hard working members of Marlborough’s Emergency Management Team have been presented with long service awards.

Dave Parsons and Gary Spence were given certificates and medals by

Mayor Nadine Taylor at April’s Assets and Services Committee meeting, acknowledging their contribution to the Marlborough community.

Each has responded to local and national emergencies including Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawke’s Bay, the Kaikōura earthquake, Pigeon Valley fires and Marlborough storms of 2021 and 2022, committee chair Councillor Jonathan Rosene said. Dave was a member of the Picton Fire Brigade for many years and joined the Marlborough Emergency Response Team in 2013, quickly working his way up to Senior Responder.

In 2022, he left a long career in teaching and joined the Emergency Management

Team as a Senior Advisor, Community Resilience, going straight into social recovery of communities impacted by the 2022 storm. Dave is currently Squad Leader and trained or qualified in general rescue, rescue at heights, working with helicopters, ropes rescue and mass rescue response.

In recognising Gary’s efforts, Councillor Rosene said he joined Council in

2012 as the sole full-time Emergency Management Officer. The following year he established the Marlborough Emergency Response Team which has now become nationally recognised and registered as NZRT-20 with over 25 members.

“It’s one of the few volunteer organisations that is always fully staffed which is a credit to Gary’s people skills,” Councillor Rosene said. “His current role as Advisor, Operational Readiness is key to Marlborough being prepared to respond to any emergency.”

Mayor Taylor at the presentation with (from left) Councillor Jonathan Rosene, Dave Parsons, Gary Spence and Councillor Brian Dawson