Message from our Chair: Celebrating our volunteers this National Volunteer Week

Mā whero, mā pango ka oti ai te mahi (Through red and black our work is completed; meaning it takes a collective effort to achieve our goals.)

Today marks the start of National Volunteer Week, when we celebrate and thank our 11,500 plus volunteers for their role in keeping our communities and environment safe.

Fire and Emergency volunteers are available 24/7, 365 days a year to respond a wide range of emergencies, including fires and medical events, severe weather damage, vegetation fires, motor vehicle accidents, hazardous substance leaks, and many more. They also provide operational support at incidents and administrative support to our brigades.

Their dedication and commitment to their communities and to Fire and Emergency means they can miss out on moments with their families, their friends and at work. So we want to extend our thanks to our volunteers’ whānau, supporters and employers for giving up time with them when their communities need it more.

This has been particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic. We appreciate employers who have released their volunteers to respond during this very difficult time.

I’d also like to acknowledge the Fire and Emergency personnel who work alongside and support our volunteers, whether they are career staff, trainers, ComCen personnel or in support roles.

I want to specifically thank the nine volunteers who have shared their stories as part of this year’s National Volunteer Week activities, which you can find out more about on our website: www.fireandemergency.nz/nvw(external link).

Henry, Kelli, Ken, Louise, Marilyn, Matt, Mike, Scylla and Seth’s stories help to show New Zealanders the rewarding and varied work all our volunteers do, and the support they receive that allows them to serve and protect their communities.

Once again, to our volunteers and all those who support you, thank you.