Volunteer Fire Brigade needs you
Station’s 50/50 mix of men, women is ‘ideal’ but day shift especially in need
A huge plus in being a Waipawa fire crew
member is the camaraderie and fun built around its members and
families. Chief Fire Officer Willy Christall
Waipawa Volunteer Fire Brigade is looking for new recruits. On average, the 24/7 volunteer fire station attends more than 120 calls yearly, ranging from fires to medical callouts, motor vehicle accidents, natural disasters and more.
Chief Fire Officer Willy Christall said the training equips volunteers with a wide range of skills, from climbing ladders to medical assistance and safely putting out fires.
A potential volunteer starts by having a medical and police check, then moves into training on Monday nights at the fire station for about an hour.
Christall said last week’s training involved stabilising a vehicle after a crash, including glass management.
After several weeks of training with the local station, Fire and Emergency NZ sends trainees to the National Training Centre in Rotorua for a week of challenging scenarios, such as fighting a petrol station fire.
After six months of training, volunteers become fully trained and equipped for the job.
“A huge plus in being a Waipawa fire crew member is the camaraderie and fun built around its members and families,” Christall said, .
For example, Christall said the brigade holds a brunch for everyone after the local Anzac service.
“It [getting together] has to be that way because everyone is affected when a dad or a mum is called out.”
Waipawa Volunteer Fire Brigade currently has a 50/50 mix of men and women, which Christall said “is ideal because everyone has their strengths, for example, women being very good at medical assists”.
While the Waipawa brigade already has a great team, it needs more local volunteers to come on board, especially to help cover the day shift.
These days many people travel significant distances to work and may not be available to be on-call, so getting the support of employers is also vital.
Christall said being a firefighter is a fantastic and dynamic role — no two callouts are the same.
He added that it is “ordinary people doing extraordinary work” supporting the Waipawa and wider CHB community.
Anyone interested in volunteering with the brigade should contact him on 027 404 4823.