My Account
The Mahurangi East Volunteer Fire Brigade will celebrate its 25th anniversary on March 23 with an open day at the station on Mahurangi East Road.
First based in an industrial shed in Hamatana Road, Mahurangi operated as an auxiliary brigade under Warkworth for its first 10 years when Gary Aitken was the chief fire officer.
Foundation trustee John Kyle says that when he moved to Snells Beach from Taihape he could see there was a need for a local fire service, but it was getting bogged down in bureaucracy.
“When I farmed in Taihape I’d seen a house burn to the ground,” he says. “The brigade was an hour away – there wasn’t even any point in ringing them. I didn’t want to see that repeated here.”
Kyle enlisted the help of Rodney District Councillor Betty Paxton and Mahurangi Matters founder John Ross to help get the project moving. He says NZ Fire Service brass told them that they had to prove that they could operate as a team for 18 months before they would get fire service backing.
It was a challenge the enthusiastic recruits had no trouble meeting.
Kyle bought an old fire engine off Trade Me and parked it on Mahurangi East Road, outside his business (Hireworks), inviting enquiries.
About 40 people stepped forward and from that group, 22 recruits signed up including several trained officers from other brigades.
Three of those founding members – Kevin Jones (founding senior station officer), Jason Connolly (current chief fire officer) and Richard Wilcock (soon to become the brigade’s first Gold Star recipient who has served his full 25 years with Mahurangi East) – are still actively involved. They laugh when they recall those first recruits turning out in plastic hard hats, overalls and no boots.
Jones says that Mahurangi East was the first new brigade to form in NZ in 80 years.
“There was no template so it took a lot of negotiation to get it across the line,” he says.
“We’ve always had amazing support from our community, which we are very grateful for.”
Once the 18-month trial was up, the fire service provided an appliance and equipment, but it then became obvious that the brigade needed a fire station.
Once again, the community came to the fore, and through fundraising and grants, the $500,000 station opened in May 2002. A helipad, adjoining the site, was established a year later.
“It’s been a tremendous asset to the community from the start,” Kyle says. “Something we can all be very proud of.”
The busy brigade responds to nearly 300 callouts a year, including many medicals.
There have been some memorable events including the dairy company fire in Te Hana in 2005 and a forest fire in Wrights Road. During Guy Fawkes one year, they put out eight fires between Scotts Landing and Snells Beach after a group of young people thought it would be funny to light skyrockets from their car and shoot them out the window as they drove towards Warkworth.
They have also rescued upended horses out of drains and one Christmas Eve, chased a turkey, who obviously wasn’t keen on gracing anyone’s table the next day, out of a tree. It lived to tell the tale, escaping to Highfield Reserve.
In common with other volunteer brigades, Mahurangi East is starting to see volunteers’ family members joining. These include fire officer Mick Fay’s son Matthew, Jones’ daughters Samantha and Paige, Connolly’s son Taine and Wilcock’s daughter Jane.
Connolly says the brigade has established a good relationship with other local brigades, St John Ambulance and Coastguard.
He says the celebration provides an opportunity to thank all brigade members, past and present – as well as their families and employers – for their dedication and commitment.
“We love doing what we do and look forward to the brigade continuing to serve our community for many years to come,” he says.
The free open day will include tours of the station, Wendy house, kitchen fire demonstrations, a vehicle display and sausage sizzle. It will run from 10am-3pm.
The firefighters hope the public will take the opportunity to come along and celebrate with them.
Next project
The Mahurangi East brigade is currently fundraising for a ute – smaller and more versatile that the fire appliance – to better respond to medical callouts. The target is $40,000. If anyone can help, they are asked to email fire chief Jason Connolly: jason.connolly@fireandemergency.nz
