Stepping up to champion fire safety in our schools

Over the last 18 months, Hutt Valley and Wainuiomata Brigades have been trialling a new way to provide high-quality, consistent fire safety education in their local schools.   

Dan Sharpe, who came up with the initial idea many years ago, joined Robert Wilson, Paris Winiata, Jamie Gray, Zoe Sinclair, Jacqui Warnes, Hami Love and Paul Carline to become fire safety ‘Ambassadors’ to their area’s schools, delivering fire safety education to tamariki (children). They work with the schools to create tailored education plans for the students and also provide additional services like signposting to other activities and programmes like Ahikura Whānau-Centred Education.

Each Ambassador looks after approximately seven schools each. A whopping 58 schools have been identified for the initiative long-term, with 52 schools already onboarded into the Ambassadors programme. Ka mau te wehi! (Fantastic!)

With a dedicated Ambassador, each school receives a consistent approach, tailored communication and one point of call for all things related to fire safety education. This means sustainable, long-term whanaungatanga (relationships) can be built, with better outcomes for both students and whānau (family).

The Ambassadors initiative also empowers our people to lead these key relationships with schools, it fosters our people’s confidence to deliver presentations on a regular basis and at a consistently high level and helps strengthen the community’s resilience through education.

Mentorship is a big part of developing the Ambassadors, with plenty of support available along the way.

‘With Ambassadors going in without a truck, I think that helped the schools realise we are prioritising them. Because when you go out on the truck, they are aware that you may have to go out because you're going to get calls. They (schools) didn't feel prioritised. So this helped build that relationship’ - Jamie Gray, Hutt City Station

This is one of several new initiatives designed to help our people continue engaging with schools and reinforce fire safety learnings delivered through the Get Firewise and Māui-tinei-ahi programmes.

If you’re keen to become an Ambassador for your community, get in touch with your local Community Readiness and Recovery team or reach out to sarah.grant@fireandemergency.nz

Read more about the Ambassadors initiative(external link)

Check out other activities and initiatives(external link) available