Message from our Chair: Firefighters recognised with New Year’s Honours

Board Chair Rebecca Keoghan has congratulated five firefighters who have been recognised in the New Year’s Honours list.

Please join me in congratulating our five Fire and Emergency personnel for their recognition in the 2025 New Year’s Honours List released today:

• Paul Francis Burns, Prebbleton – Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to Search and Rescue and Fire and Emergency New Zealand
• Ian Martyn Pickard, Papamoa – Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand
• John William Oliver, Ōtāne – King’s Service Medal (KSM) for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand
• Ian (Harry) Peter Carter, Whangārei – King’s Service Medal (KSM) for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the community
• Neville Gordon Phillips, Mataura– King’s Service Medal (KSM) for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and ice sports

Our people are regularly honoured twice a year, at New Year and King’s Birthday, when the King recognises citizens from Commonwealth countries for their exceptional service.

Congratulations to Paul, Ian, John, Harry and Neville. This is an outstanding achievement, which our recipients and their whānau should be incredibly proud of.