Brigade honours ‘wonder woman’
The Appleby Volunteer Fire Brigade gained an honorary member at the official opening of its new station.
However, while Clare Ford may be the newest member of the brigade, she is one of its most familiar faces. Along with her husband, Ted Ford, who is a founding member, Clare has been heavily involved with the brigade since it started in 1989.
Appleby fire chief Paul Eggers presented Clare Ford with a pin and bouquet at the opening ceremony on Saturday, thanking her for her dedication and support over the past 33 years. Those years of service included everything from closing the door of the old station after the crew left on a call-out to helping Ted with the books.
‘‘She’s been Ted’s right-hand wonder woman . . . while Ted is on fire calls,’’ Eggers told the crowd.
The importance of that support from the family members of volunteer firefighters – and the volunteers themselves – was a common theme in the speeches at the official opening.
Tasman district mayor Tim King spoke about the new station, on the corner of Redwood Rd and the Moutere Highway, saying he expected it would be a community hub for a long time.
‘‘None of it is any use without the people who volunteer every day,’’ King said.
Fire and Emergency NZ Nelson Marlborough district manager Grant Haywood also gave thanks to the volunteers and their wha¯nau.
‘‘We ask sometimes too much of you but you never say no,’’ Haywood said. ‘‘You turn up whenever that siren goes off.’’
Appreciation was also extended to the Ford family for their contribution of land for the new station and the O’Connor family, who provided the site for the brigade’s previous base at Pea Viner Corner.
Ted Ford outlined the history of the brigade from its modest start in a shed on Rabbit Island with a tanker affectionately known as Little Flick to its years at Pea Viner Corner before settling in its new purpose-built station just over a year ago.
Fire and Emergency deputy chief executive kaupapa Ma¯ori and cultural communities Piki Thomas cut the ribbon to officially open the new base.
After the ceremony, Eggers said the brigade had four new recruits, taking the number of volunteers up to 20, which was ideal.