Dunedin man was village’s fire chief
STUART ALLAN was a mover and shaker in his life — known far and wide for his determination and ability to get things done.
He died unexpectedly on February 14, aged 62, following a medical event.
Mr Allan lived in Dunedin for most of his life and worked in various roles, mostly in the engineering and electrical industries.
But one of his most treasured experiences was his time as chief fire officer of the Naseby Volunteer Fire Brigade.
Current Naseby Chief Fire Officer Roger Murphy described him like this:
‘‘At his funeral, somebody stood up and said ‘most people’s memory of Stu is, when they first meet him, it’s ‘‘hi, my name’s Stuart Allan. Do you want me to show you how to run this place properly?’’ and he would’.’’
Mr Allan was born in Dunedin on January 10, 1956, the son of Peter, a schoolteacher, and Jean, a secretary.
His first four years were spent in Outram and the next four in Hyde.
When he was 8, his family moved to Dunedin and he attended Pine Hill School then Dunedin North Intermediate and Otago Boys’ High School.
In 1981, he married Janice Rush in Andersons Bay.
The leading firefighter had numerous qualifications. In 1980 he received a New Zealand certificate in electrical engineering and a New Zealand certificate in intermediate control systems engineering.
He received a diploma in adult education and training in 2004, a diploma in business (quality and finance) in 2006 and a bachelor of applied management with a double major in project management and business transformation and change in 2011.
He began his career as an electrician before moving on to senior roles in several engineering firms.
In 1996, he became a senior lecturer at the Otago Polytechnic’s department of information technology and electrotechnology.
He left teaching in 2006 but returned in 2012.
His last role was as principal lecturer and programme manager at the Otago Polytechnic School of Architecture, Building and Engineering.
The Allans bought a holiday home in Naseby in the early 1990s. The couple, with their sons Bradley and Justin, would travel there at least every second weekend.
In 1996, the Naseby Volunteer Fire Brigade asked Mr Allan to join their ranks.
‘‘They asked if Stu wanted to be a volunteer firefighter and he jumped at the chance,’’ Mrs Allan said.
‘‘We’d go up to Naseby and he’d disappear to the station.’’
Only three years later he was made chief fire officer of the brigade.
Naseby volunteer fire brigade secretary Mike Buswell explained why.
‘‘It was unusual because he wasn’t permanent. But he stepped into the breach when noone else with the experience was there.’’
Mr Allan was quickly made a life member of the brigade. Usually, it would take 25 years of service to achieve this but Mr Allan made it in five.
Mr Buswell said even though he did not have a gold star, which firefighters receive after 25 years of service, he was made a life member because of his ‘‘sterling work’’ in the brigade.
Under Mr Allan’s leadership, the Naseby brigade achieved some firsts for fire brigades in New Zealand.
With Mr Allan as chief, Naseby was the first brigade in the country to have a medical response team, Mr Murphy said.
He also helped the brigade raise money for a defibrillator, making it one of the first in the country to have one. Now every fire engine in the country has a defibrillator and all firefighters receive emergency medical training.
The inspirational chief left the brigade in June 2004, when his family sold their Naseby holiday home.
‘‘He was just one of the guys — they respected him,’’ Mrs Allan said.
Mr Allan is survived by wife Janice, sons Bradley and Justin, and also by his younger sister
Anne Allan. — Tom Kitchin