Pauanui brigade gives First Response vehicle to Tokomaru Bay brigade

The Tokomaru Bay Volunteer Fire Brigade was very pleased to recently receive a First Response vehicle from the Pauanui Volunteer Fire Brigade.

Over the weekend of 2/3 September, a group of six Pauanui Fire Brigade crew made the seven-hour drive to deliver their yellow Nissan appliance to its new home on the East Cape. 

Pauanui Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer, Darron Steer, said the group was warmly greeted when they arrived. In true Fire brigade style, the siren went up for a callout as the group was 100 metres from the station, and they had to wait for the rest of the crew to return from the callout before the formalities could begin. 

‘Once the official greeting was finished, we handed over the keys to James Forrester, Chief Fire Officer of Tokomaru Bay Volunteer Fire Brigade. After the official photos were taken, we sat down to a big meal, and all got to know each other.  

‘While we were showing the Tokomaru Bay Brigade around the new vehicle James asked, ‘why us?’. And the reason for that is a bit of a story. During Cyclone Gabrielle, Pauanui lost power and communications for several days. When our response concluded and communications were restored, I had multiple phone calls from our local community asking what we could do to help those on the East Cape and Hawkes Bay.’ 

‘After some discussion around the Pauanui Brigade, a plan was hatched to help another community that had been harder hit than us. Soon after our Area Manager Daryl Trim came through and I asked him who could we contact to relocate our old First Response. He put in a call to his colleague in Gisborne, Peter Clark, and asked him ‘who needs it the most, which Brigade will get the most benefit from it?’. 

‘Our old First Response was a perfect fit for them. With a population of around 300 people in Tokomaru Bay who had all road access cut off for three months after the cyclone, we felt the good work that our Nissan had done over the past 24 years could continue in this deserving community.   

Darron said the Tokomaru Bay Brigade was blown away with the new vehicle. 

‘They were amazed and grateful by the generosity shown to them. They assured us it was a perfect fit; with a lot of hills, farmland, and forestry around them, as well as the beautiful coast, the new vehicle will provide access both on-road and off-road to those in their time of need. 

Here is what the Tokomaru Bay Brigade had to say: 

‘He waka eke noa, a canoe which we are all on with no exception. We are all in this work of serving our communities weather we are in Pauanui or in Tokomaru Bay. If you have a surplus, then share it with another community that has a need. Ngā mihi Pauanui Brigade for your generosity to our community.   

‘Thank you to Pauanui (both the brigade and the public) for their support and encouragement to take our good fortunes and share this legacy with others in a meaningful and impactful way.’

L to R: Claire Steer Pauanui; Matt Cook Group Manager Waikato; Shirley Crawford Pauanui; DCFO Fred Crawford Pauanui; CFO Darron Steer Pauanui; CFO James Forrester Tokomaru; Ray Denver Group Manager Tairāwhiti; Grace Hughes Tokomaru; CFO Nelson Truman (retired) Tokomaru; Bill Hughes Tokomaru; Karauia Raptapu Tokomaru (standing); Rob McKenzie Tokomaru; SO Len Hughes Pauanui.