Fire Police began their busiest morning in years at a house fire in Ranui.   The unoccupied dwelling was well alight and despite a spirited fire-fight the place was seriously damaged.   Before Fire Police were finished at this call, there was another alert to a factory on fire in Bruce McLaren Road, Henderson.   This quickly escalated to a third alarm, the fire fed by oils and foodstuffs in the premises which were used for processing Indian and Asian foods.   Before fire-fighters got the upper hand of this blaze we were paged to assist with scene protection at a nearby motor vehicle accident, car versus pole with power lines down, so some members were diverted from the factory fire to help.   Then, just as Fire Police were wrapping up tasks in the West, there was a call to a kitchen fire in a house at Clover Park in southern suburbs.   The blaze quickly spread, the house was badly damaged throughout.   This string of calls meant that this morning several members achieved the rare “hat-trick”, attendance at 3 calls, responding to each immediately following the other.

Our first 12 months on the Internet have flown!   We’ve come to think of it as the best fire brigade/department website.   It has put our brigade “out there”, given us a virtual home, provided members with a useful reference point for rosters and memos and has been instrumental in recruiting our keenest new members.   It’s also where we record our Brigade’s service to the community, where we chronicle our proud history and where we list the achievements of our people.   So, what happened during the year?   Well, we have attended 637 incidents (including a 5th Alarm or 2), we celebrated our 75th Anniversary (and we still are!), we appointed our first-ever Patron (David Neil), we appointed our first ever honorary member (Stu Kearns), we attained 3 more Gold Star holders (SOs Ashton, Carlyon and England), we progressively upgraded comms systems and radios and one of our members joined counterparts in the USA for their 75th celebrations.   And we launched our website!   Happy first birthday to http://www.aucklandfirepolice.org.nz. (How on earth do we get all that in when we sing “Happy Birthday!”?)

Members arriving at a 2nd Alarm fire in Kingsland late tonight found the former Mt Albert Fire Station well alight.   Closed after 50 years’ service in 1974 and replaced by Balmoral Station, the old concrete building was converted to a boarding house.   Originally a “persons reported” call, all sixteen male residents made good their escape from the flames, losing all their personal possessions.   Members closed New North Road to all traffic, assisted at the Command Point and prepared refreshments for emergency workers and the evacuees.  Police transported the homeless men to alternative Backpacker accommodation in the city.

New Role for Unit’s Chief Makes History
27 September 2008

President Jim Smith inherits the Chain of Office from Past President Tony Sanford (Warkworth)

Chief Fire Officer, Jim Smith, has a new position in fire brigade circles.   At the Annual General Meeting of the Auckland Districts Fire Brigades’ Sub-Association, Jim was installed as President for the ensuing year. Handed the Chain of Office by outgoing President, Senior Fire-fighter Tony Sanford, Jim says he looks forward to fostering renewed interest in the Association, which has as its members fire brigades from Wellsford to Mercer with a few additional outside these boundaries who join so they’re eligible to compete in Waterway and other Challenges arranged by the Association.
The appointment makes history for the Unit this year, appropriately as it celebrates 75 years.   Leading roles in fire brigade organisations are taken by Fire Police, all members of the Unit.   Jim is President of the Auckland Districts Fire Brigades’ Association, Russell Allen is President of the Auckland Provincial Fire Brigades’ Association and Ric Carlyon continues as member of the Board of Governors of the United Fire Brigades’ Association.

Unit Now has a Patron
17 September 2008

The Unit has a Patron for the first time in its 75 year history.   The announcement was made by Chief Fire Officer Jim Smith at the Unit’s 75th Annual General Meeting when he declared that Mr David Neil had been voted unanimously to the position.   “It’s entirely appropriate to take this initiative in our 75th year” said Jim Smith, ”especially when we found a very suitable nominee who knows our Unit and its members very well, who has been a firm supporter of the Unit over many years and has mana both within and outside the New Zealand Fire Service”.   David Neil recently retired from the Service where he was a senior executive officer.   Members of the Unit had also agreed, again unanimously, that the new Patron be made an Honorary Member of the Brigade and Jim Smith presented David with the appropriate badge.

The Unit celebrated with good cause during and after its 75th Annual General Meeting held at Regional Headquarters.   Among the special guests were Life Honorary and past members who helped mark the Unit's important milestone.   Visitors included a connection with the formation of the Unit in 1933 - Mrs Kaye Solly.   It was her grandfather, Superintendent Bill Wilson, who decided to establish Fire Police in Auckland and organised their inaugural meeting in June 1933.   And then Kaye's father, Lloyd Wilson, later fostered the Unit in his time as Auckland's Chief Fire Officer.   Executives of the New Zealand Fire Service also attended the 75th AGM.   The Unit received a birthday gift, a handsome plaque, from Fire Police in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania who also celebrate their 75th anniversary this year.   The minutes of the Unit's founding meeting in 1933 were read and our newest member, Karl Berghan, took the Oath during which all members were asked to reflect on the undertaking they had sworn when they joined.   The AGM ended with a supper complete with a 75th birthday cake.   Click here to see photos

  Following the near catastrophe of Duane Carnell's pet cat, Whisky, (see story below), the Unit now catalogues another feline item.   The catalyst was a change of vehicles - the former Fire Police 3 (Whisky's favourite place to catnap) was catapulted to another brigade and Fire Police inherited a similar Mitsubishi, the new Fire Police 3.   Remarkably, it comes with its own catflap built in to the rear locker between the standpipe and key (picture 1).

Whisky must think he's in Fire Cat Heaven with his own door, and a see-through one at that!   Only there's a catch - it's not really a cat door.   The Brigade that formerly had the Mitsi added the hatch to allow access for cables from the generator stowed in the rear locker.   Duane has categorically banned his cat from the vehicle, but not to be outdone another feline has taken over from Whisky.   This time it's a big cat, strategically positioned so it looks out, grinning like a Cheshire at everyone following Fire Police 3.   And they smile back! (picture 2).

Despite all rules and regulations, one of the Unit's vehicles has been carrying Whisky, the duty driver unaware of his illicit cargo.   Member Duane Carnell returned Fire Police 3 to Balmoral Station recently and something told him to check over the vehicle very carefully before relinquishing it.   He then made the chance discovery in a rear locker.   Whisky, his appropriately named black and white cat and known for its curiosity, must have wandered into the locker while Duane had the doors open doing his routine checks.   Now discovered, Whisky was pleased to see daylight again after its entrapment ... and its ride across Auckland ... while Duane was equally grateful that the cat was out of the bag, enabling him to return Puss home, none the worse for its adventure.   On this occasion perhaps one of its 9 lives was used: curiosity did not kill this cat!

Unit Represented at Expo in U.S.
18 August 2008

One of our members, Mark Potter, has just returned from attending the Montgomery County Fire Police Expo near Philadelphia.   Mark was invited to speak about the Auckland Fire Police at the event and how Fire Police are utilised in New Zealand.   Mark also visited several fire stations in the Montgomery County area during his 3 day stay, taking the opportunity to talk with many of their Fire Police members.  
"It was a great opportunity to meet volunteer counterparts in the Montgomery County area to share our experiences" says Mark who found the Fire Police Association and its members "incredibly hospitable, making me feel very welcome".   The Auckland Fire Police Unit and Montgomery County Fire Police Association, although half a world apart, struck up a friendship after they found that this year they both celebrate 75 years of service.   Click here to see photos

Most members of the Unit were busily engaged for 24 hours when an Adverse Weather Event, gale-force-plus winds and torrential downpours, swept the North of the North Island passing across Auckland.
In addition to normally rostered response vehicles, Fire Police crews manned additional vans which were strategically stationed at Warkworth, Henderson and Beachlands Stations ready to assist.
Meanwhile, the Regional Emergency Operating Centre had been activated and Fire Police put their communications training to good effect manning radios, and arranging contact between key stakeholders.   This team was also tasked to call back some of the hundreds of 111 callers as the storm abated to ascertain that the emergency they had called in still warranted the attendance of the Fire Service.   These calls were then prioritised (flooding, trees blown over, roofs lifting, power wires down) and passed to FireComm for appropriate follow-up action.   Members also helped keep a Weather Watch, gathering data to track the storm as its destructive path crossed the Region.
Members also responded to numerous storm-related incidents in the 24 hours to 2200hrs Saturday.
The Met Service forecasts a simular storm brewing, due in a few days

The Unit has begun a series of year-long celebrations to mark its 75th birthday.   The first function, tonight, is held on the eve of the exact date in 1933 when 12 founding members gathered to form the Auckland Volunteer Fire Police Corps under the patronage of the then Chief Fire Officer (Superintendent) Bill Wilson.   The Unit's 75 years' service to Auckland will also be celebrated in other events over the next 12 months, notable among them the 75th Annual General Meeting in September.

Members of the New Zealand Police Serious Crash Unit (SCU) from Waitemata attended the Unit's regular monthy meeting to thank members for their ongoing support at the scenes of serious motor accidents.   Sergeant Stuart Kearns and Constables Karl Bevan and Paul Hayward are members of the team which investigates serious crashes in districts to the West and North of Auckland.   Sgt Kearns, himself an honorary member of the Unit, told the meeting that there's a tremendous level of professionalism among members and that their presence at the scenes of accidents is greatly appreciated.   Fire Police regularly assist the SCU at road closures and traffic management - "it's always a comfort to know we can carry out our investigations out on the highways or in suburban streets in a tightly controlled situation without having to worry about our safety" says Stuart, "and Fire Police very ably carry out those duties".   He presented a plaque to tangibly thank the Unit.   Chief Fire Officer Jim Smith said he received it on behalf of all members and that he considers helping the SCU is part of the Unit's mission to assist the community wherever Fire Police skills can be usefully deployed.

Auckland Fire Police are going to make the most of attaining 75 years, with celebrations planned throughout the year to celebrate.   The first event on June 21st will mark, almost exactly, the anniversary of the founding meeting in 1933 of the Auckland Fire Police Corps when 12 members were enrolled and sworn in.   The June function is for members, honorary life members and their partners but in September there will be an opportunity for wider attendance at the Unit's 75th Annual General Meeting, with further celebrations.   Other events are scheduled, the Unit's compiling a special '75 Years' section on its website and there'll be a Unit photograph to capture the membership in the Unit's special year.

Members assisted police during a task that took nearly 24 hours to recover a car which plunged off Scenic Drive, crashed through bush and came to rest against trees, well out of sight, about 70 meters below the road.   The driver, seriously hurt in the crash, was relatively easily rescued but the salvage of the car proved difficult in thickly-bushed steep country.   Police wanted the vehicle as part of their investigation into the accident.   Fire Police closed a large section of Scenic Drive while salvage operations continued, first yesterday afternoon and well into the night until conditions were deemed unsafe.   Our members returned this morning along with police, fire fighters and salvage experts, the plan to hoist the car back up to the road.   This proved impracticable, Scenic Drive was reopened and the crashed car was winched down the hill through the bush to a nearby resident's driveway, loaded on to a tow truck and removed.

The Unit's delegates attending the Auckland Provincial Fire Brigades' Association Annual Meeting heard updates on various activities affecting the Service.   The meeting, held in Cambridge, Waikato this year, brings together representatives of volunteer fire brigades between Northland and Turangi.   Among the topics discussed were the local waterway challenges (the national title of which is open to competition from all brigades in New Zealand), design of latest fire appliances including specifications for new water tankers, a proposal to review the look of our formal uniform and recent changes in administration at the United Fire Brigades' Association headquarters.   Hamilton Fire Chief, Roy Breeze, gave an update and rundown on the Tamihere cool store fire.   Earlier in the meeting members had stood in silence to honour SSO Derek Lovell who died of injuries suffered at the scene.   FPC Russell Allen, a member of our Unit, was installed as President of the Provincial Association for the ensuing year.

Members assisted at two big Auckland events today, one a fire service related challenge, the other based out on the Auckland Harbour.   In downtown Auckland, members were assisting at the Firefighters' Sky Tower Vertical Challenge where 230 personnel, all in full protective clothing, some donned with breathing apparatus while others were donned and using their sets, took on the 47 flights of stairs to the top of the tower.   Our members assisted with traffic management and security around the event.
Meanwhile down on the harbour, this year's Auckland heat of the Power Boat Championship had craft zooming along at up to 150 kph around a course in the inner harbour.   Elaborate plans to deal with any emergency out on the water involve the use of helicopters, divers, medics, rescue boats, and patrol craft.   Skills learned at Fire Police training means our members are ideally equipped to assist at Race Headquarters and on the waterfront, ready to help manage emergency response should it be required.   Although there was plenty of action during the racing, the event passed without incident.

Anzac Day's one of the busiest days on the Unit's calendar as we assist the community at numerous commemorative services, mostly in South Auckland.   "Members' training and expertise in traffic management means we are called on to help close roads and to ensure the safety of participants marching in street parades" says the Unit's acting Chief Fire Officer, Glenn Teal.   "We assist at 7 different Anzac Day services, with crews on duty as early as 4am to help with Dawn Services and then later in the morning at various civic ceremonies".

The Unit will be represented at activities on Saturday 26th April marking Greenhithe Volunteer Fire Brigade's fiftieth anniversary.   Like many brigades, it was formed after a large fire galvanised the community to action, with 9 enthusiastic locals banding together with minimal resources to protect their community from fire.   The Brigade has thrived ever since.   Our members will be present at Greenhithe's Open Day on Saturday and there's to be a celebratory dinner that night.   Greenhithe's jubilee falls just a few months short of this Unit's seventy-fifth anniversary.   Happy Birthday, Greenhithe!!!

12 of our members joined hundreds of fellow Fire Service personnel, representatives from other emergency services, family, friends and other mourners at Te Rapa racecourse today to attend the funeral service for Senior Station Officer Derek Lovell, who died of injuries received at last weekend's explosion and fire at Icepak coolstores, Tamahere.   "Auckland Fire Police were there on the night it happened, supporting fire fighters during the massive blaze" said one member of the Unit, "so it was fitting we returned to Hamilton today to join all those who gathered to celebrate SSO Lovell's life".
Members of the fire crews who were badly injured in the fire also attended, participating in the service from their hospital beds which had been specially taken to the race-course.   Auckland Fire Police representatives took their place in the Honour Guard, comprising many hundreds of uniformed Fire Service personnel from throughout the country, as well as representatives from overseas brigades, as Derek Lovell departed Te Rapa on his Last Call.

The Unit responded more than a 100kms to support those tackling the tragic fire in Icepak's industrial coolstores at Tamahere on the outskirts of Hamilton.   Members took the mobile canteen (Fire Police 8) and the ablutions trailer (Fire Police 6 towed by Fire Police 5), resources used on the fireground until local catering and facilities could be arranged and set up.   "We provide support services based in Auckland", says Fire Police Chief Jim Smith, "but when there's a need, we are more than happy to cross boundaries to help at major events in neigbouring Regions".   5 members travelled to Tamahere, in the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Fire Region, to support crews who had responded to the 5th alarm call-out, as well as a fleet of water tankers summoned to the blazing coolstores located in a rural, non-reticulated area.   "Members of our Unit join with the rest of the Fire Service "family" and the community in their sympathy to Senior Station Officer Derek Lovell's family and colleagues", says Jim Smith, "you are all in our thoughts, together with those fire-fighters who were injured".

Our Executive liaison officer, Assistant Regional Fire Commander David Neil, is retiring and a round of functions has begun to farewell and honour the veteran of 41 years in the Service.   Fire Police, like all other volunteer brigades in the Auckland Region will greatly miss David's leadership, advocacy, and personal friendship, to say nothing of his dedication to furthering volunteerism in the Fire Service.   Fire Police Chief, Jim Smith, says "David saw the value of positioning our Unit as a regional resource and has been unstinting in his support for us - a strong believer in the retention of Fire Police, in name, and in the continuing niche services we provide fire fighters, emergency services' workers and the wider community.   This has enabed us to adapt and improve our operations to meet fireground needs throughout greater Auckland now, and in future years".

The Unit's delegates, and representatives of many other volunteer fire brigades from throughout New Zealand, have just returned from Nelson, and the United Fire Brigades' Association annual conference.   Minister of Internal Affairs, Rick Barker, told delegates that the eagerly-awaited rewrite of Fire Service legislation is stalled because it's difficult to reach agreement about what should be done.   "This is indeed unfortunate.   I consulted widely because you need a consensus for change to make things work, but we are struggling to reach a consensus among all stakeholders: some views remain entrenched and the time's not right..."   The Minister believes change is inevitable, he has not given up on improvements for all volunteers in the Service and finding ways to better support them.   To this end, he says he's consulting Cabinet colleagues to try to progress matters.

The Unit has been given $7,000 by the Waitakere Licensing Trust enabling Fire Police communications equipment to be upgraded to state-of-the-art.   Auckland Fire Police Unit operates its own radio channels so that members can communicate en route to calls and when they are at emergency incidents.   To obtain clear reception right across our sprawling Region we must maintain 4 transmitters, linked, and the present equipment is ageing, having served us for more than 15 years, now overtaken by advances in technology.   The replacement project is well under way . 2 transmitters were ordered some time ago and are now ready to install.
The Trust's grant means the other 2 transmitters can now be purchased.   The Unit's Chief Fire Officer, Jim Smith, says he's grateful for the Trust's generosity - "a good radio system is essential and this grant will ensure that our members, and the communities we serve and support, benefit from efficient communications in West Auckland and beyond . in fact, from Warkworth to Meremere, coast to coast.

The Unit's monthly meeting was joined by experts in uniform and PPE.   CFO Keith Whale from New Zealand Fire Service HQ and 2 representatives from Yakka Apparel Solutions Ltd held a discussion looking for ideas as they try for the perfect outfitting of Fire Police/Operations Support.   Mr Whale said that from his point of view the apparel needs to be safe, durable, comfortable, stylish, affordable and not too dissimilar in appearance to fire-fighter's protective clothing . a corporate look/branding which might be shared by others who do not need full firefighters' protection.
Members saw the need for a light breathing textile, like the yellow jacket recently trialled, together with a shaped flap on the radio pocket to cater for the aerial, a pocket for a pager, a removable summer/winter liner, and the hood retained.   Some members thought the present high-visibility lime over-trousers are preferable to the proposed alternative, dark blue.   The compromise might be to add reflectorised stripes to the dark blue to give better protection at night.   Members suggested some other apparel or styles that were beyond the budget - the balancing act is to maintain safety, retain comfort and not break the bank.   Let's see how far we got when the next trial garments arrive!

Long-serving member of the Unit, Station Officer Ross Bay, led the Service during the State Funeral for Sir Edmund Hillary held today in St Mary's Church.
As the Very Reverend Ross Bay, he's Dean of Auckland, with oversight for the Holy Trinity Cathedral in which Sir Edmund lay in state before his funeral in the adjacent St Mary's.   It was only in November that Unit members joined the congregation at Holy Trinity to witness his installation as Dean.   Within weeks, before he had properly settled into his new position, Ross found himself central to family, government, security, police and church arrangements for Sir Edmund's State Funeral.   The service was to be seen around the globe on television, it was front page of every local newspaper and it featured on all radio news bulletins, as New Zealand farewelled the famous mountaineer, adventurer, diplomat, benefactor and good Kiwi bloke.
Click here  to see how TVNZ's "Close Up" programme sees Ross . as presenter Mark Sainsbury describes him . "the Dean of Auckland who leads a double life"!

We welcome in the New Year with best wishes to all for a happy, healthful and prosperous 2008.   Several important fire service-related events will be remembered during the year, some abroad, others local and one of them, our very own!
In England, 100 years ago, Bradford Fire Brigade ordered a new fire engine with a motor which was "not only for locomotion but also for pumping" from manufacturers whose patented worm-drive transmission was largely unproven.   Dennis Brothers thus made their first fire engine.   It was enthusiastically acclaimed, promoting the company to the forefront of fire engine makers: the Dennis name has endured to the modern era.
In America, the centenary will recall the tragic fire in Rhoads Opera House, Boyertown, Pennsylvania, when 170 people perished, trapped inside the blazing building.   Far-reaching fire safety rules for public buildings were introduced as a direct result of this 1908 tragedy, first made federal law in the United States: its principles later adopted by many other countries.
Here in New Zealand, it's a century since legislators were successful with their 3rd attempt in as many years at a consolidated Fire Brigades Act.   The 1908 version was the foundation for much of the law (revised several times in the interim) under which fire services in this country presently operate.   Maybe we will celebrate the centenary with the introduction of the much-discussed major overhaul of our fire legislation?
Closer to home, we'll be celebrating 2008 as a milestone year for Auckland Fire Police, marking 75 years' continuous service to our community.   June 22nd 1933 was the actual date when our Unit was formed and the first 12 constables sworn in.   There'll be appropriate activities to commemorate this special anniversary.

Late night turn-out: "Multiple calls to a light aircraft in distress"

Sit rep #1 - "From Officer Incredulous: Observing light aircraft flying North to South, sometimes at rooftop level, pilot probably disoriented.   Investigating further"

Sit rep #2 - "From Officer Incredulous: Further sitrep . Unidentified open-type light aircraft, appears unable to gain height, showing single red light to the front.   Advise Air Traffic Control".

Sit Rep #3 - "From Officer Scrooge: Be advised the same hoax callers got us out of our beds on a wild goose chase last Christmas Eve.   No further action. K28 -1".

Sit Rep #4 - "From Officer Incredulous: Reporting white light from what looks like another aircraft at high altitude approaching from the East".

Stop Message - "From Officer Enlightenment: Stop for low-flying craft making multiple soft landings at roof top level and a bright star in Eastern skies.   False alarm with good intent.   Merry Christmas everyone!!!"

Christmas came a little early for the Auckland Fire Police with advice from Regional Headquarters that the Fire Service Commission has issued our Unit with 14 new hand-held radios.
10 Motorola GP329s each with a selection of 16 channels, and 4 Tait radios will be allocated to members as soon as they're programmed to suit the Unit's needs.   "This package, appropriately announced as Christmas approaches, is very welcome," says the Unit's Chief Fire Officer, Jim Smith, "particularly as some of our radios are fast reaching the end of their useful life.   This package will ensure we can continue to issue each member with a reliable radio.   Efficient communications between Fire Police, and others, are essential for personal safety on the incident ground and for routine messages among members via the Unit's own radio network, right across the Fire Region we serve".

Members have been called out a number of times in recent days to assist at operations following the escape Thursday of an estimated 10,000 litres from the underground tanks at a Glen Innes service station.   It's a multi-agency event and is likely to continue for some time, continuing to disrupt the Glen Innes shopping centre.
Fire Police have been summoned several times to assist at the scene as various phases of the operation are undertaken.   The latest turnouts were to help close several streets, including major traffic thoroughfares to all vehicles and pedestrians.   This extended "no go area" is to minimise risk of explosion/fire while the station forecourt is excavated and test bores are drilled to find how far the petrol seeped once it escaped through a damaged underground pipe.   In addition to the cordon, Members are also staffing the Fire Service's mobile canteen.

This afternoon's call to a petrol spillage is likely to stretch into the night.   Thousands of litres of petrol escaped from an underground tank at a Glen Innes service station and the fuel has seeped 200 metres to the Taniwha creek.   Fire fighters, conservationists, drainage experts, and contractors are disposing of the fuel - operations which are expected to continue late into the night.   Fire Police were involved in staffing roadblocks, maintaining cordons, and operating the Fire Service Canteen.

5th Alarm and 3 other calls ...
13 December 2007

Four calls in the course of the evening (12th December) kept members busy, the action centred on a fifth-alarm blaze in a building used as a fumigation station in Mangere's industrial zone.   The premises contained a wide range of chemicals, some toxic, used to treat imported goods to ensure MAF's bio-security requirements are met.   Smoke from the building, and run off, carried a cocktail of chemicals which required a wide "no go" area, road closures, and down-wind evacuation of factories and houses.   Members maintained the cordons, fetched and staffed the canteen, ablutions trailer and communications caravan and also carried out many other fireground duties, not the least keeping up a supply of BA cylinders during the height of the fire.
Mid-evening there was a call to a serious persons-trapped motor vehicle accident on the main access road to Auckland airport.   Some members were sent from the fire to establish road closures at two of South Auckland's busiest intersections, Mangere's Kirkbride Rd and at the Airport's exit roundabout, while others attended to scene protection at the incident.   The two car crash resulted in multiple fatalities.   There were some interesting exchanges with motorists who found the road closed and that their only access to the airport was the much longer detour via Puhunui.
The third call was to assist with road closures at another motor vehicle accident in Titirangi and the fourth turnout was to a shed fire, believe it or not, also in Mangere!

Statistics released to coincide with December 5th, International Volunteer Day, reveal the extent of volunteerism in New Zealand's 97,000 not-for-profit organisations.   More than a million New Zealanders, or 31 per cent of those over the age of 12 years, participate in some form of organised volunteer activity. They each put in an average of 5.1 hours every week.   This all adds up to 270 million hours of unpaid work, the equal of one and quarter million full-time positions.   And the final statistic - the time contributed by volunteers is valued, annually, at more than $3.3 billion.   Members of the Unit acknowledge the thanks and congratulations conveyed by various local and international organisations on the occasion of International Volunteer Day and we extend our greetings to all other not-for-profit organisations, particularly volunteer fire brigades, everywhere.

Honorary Member
3 December 2007

The Unit recently announced what's believed to be it's first-ever honorary member. Sergeant Stuart (Stu) Kearns of the New Zealand Police was presented with an Honorary Member's certificate at the Unit's annual Honours Evening.   Chief Fire Officer Jim Smith told the gathering that Sgt Kearns had greatly assisted the Unit over many years and it's appropriate that he be thanked by way of honorary membership.   Stu was a member of the Auckland Fire Police unit in the 1980's while a traffic officer with the Ministry of Transport, duties later taken over by police.

Dean of Auckland
19 November 2007

Members of the Unit joined the congregation, Monday 19th, for a special service at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Parnell, to witness the installation of Station Officer (Fire Police), the Very Reverend, Ross Bay as the 8th Dean of Auckland and Vicar-General of the Diocese.   Ross had been Vicar of St Mark's in Remuera until his appointment, and last year was made Archdeacon of Auckland.
Members of the Unit joined a capacity congregation of clergy and laity to see Ross installed as Dean and to wish him well in his new position.   Ross has been a member of the Fire Police unit for 17 years.

Auckland Fire Police now have their own website. It was officially switched on by the newly appointed Mayor of Manukau City, Len Brown, during a ceremony as part of the Unit's Honours Night. "The site shows the work of the Unit on-screen with up-to-the-minute progress of the calls members are attending" Jim Smith says, and "there's also a wealth of information about the Unit, including a look at our history, acknowledgment of our founding pioneers and others who have shaped the Unit over the decades. The Unit's honours are proudly displayed in another section of the website".
"What makes this a particularly important milestone is the fact that all the talent to design, create and compile the website came from within the Unit", Chief Jim Smith continued, "FPC Mark Potter, webdesigner, and SO Ric Carlyon have done a great job, putting in many hours to craft a website which I believe sets a new standard for other Fire Brigades to emulate".

Triple Gold Star Evening
10 November 2007

The Unit now has 3 more Gold Star members after a presentation on Saturday 10th November. Station Officers Keith Ashton, Ric Carlyon and Chris England joined the list of 9 other serving members in the Unit who have attained the coveted Gold Star for 25 years' service.
The medals were presented by Past-President of the United Fire Brigades' Association, CFO Graeme Booth, followed by other presentations to the trio on behalf of the New Zealand Fire Service Commission and the Unit. Other members received UFBA Service Honours during the social evening.