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Three local brigades on the Hibiscus Coast are on the lookout for new volunteer firefighters, offering residents the chance to serve their community and be part of a tight-knit crew.
The Silverdale Volunteer Fire Brigade, Manly Volunteer Fire Brigade, and Puhoi Volunteer Fire Brigade are all looking for new recruits.
The Manly and Puhoi stations are fully volunteer-run, while Silverdale operates with a combination of a daytime paid crew and a dedicated volunteer fleet.
Puhoi Station is located at 52 Ahuroa Road, Manly Station at 960 Whangaparāoa Road, and Silverdale Station at 147 Hibiscus Coast Highway.
Recruitment Manager AJ Binnie says volunteers must live within a four-minute drive of their chosen station, hold a full driver licence, and be keen to contribute to a collaborative, crew-based culture.
Training takes place on Monday evenings, with volunteers participating in a rotating roster that covers every evening from 5.30pm to 7am, as well as all day Saturday and Sunday.
Silverdale’s Volunteer Chief Fire Officer Ted Fuller says that although people volunteer for many different reasons, they will come out of it with action-packed work stories.
“It’s a great place to meet friends, engage with the wider community, and gain an overall appreciation for other community superheroes,” he says.
Malcolm Greenwood, Daniel Oakrobin, Nigel Capon and Chantelle White are among the volunteer firefighters on the Hibiscus Coast.
Malcolm Greenwood has been volunteering for three years after many years of wanting to do so. He’d always wanted to help the community, and seized the opportunity when he moved to Silverdale.
Daniel Oakrobin is one of Silverdale’s newest recruits, having started his training in September 2025. He is a manager at Chelsea Sugar Refinery and enjoys the fitness that his volunteer training has brought. Volunteering has been on his radar for a long time.
“It’s also good to have that knowledge in case of emergencies – you’re able to jump in and help where you can,” he says.
Nigel Capon will celebrate 50 years volunteering on March 23. His day job involves managing equipment and technology for Fire and Emergency New Zealand, and is a third generation firefighter. He says he values making a difference in the lives of others, particularly helping people through some of their worst moments.
Chantelle White is a mum of two teenage girls and a wife of another volunteer firefighter. She works as a supervisor/teacher for Kindercare Learning Centres alongside her other volunteer job as a First Responder for St John Silverdale. She says her favourite part of volunteering is challenging her personal limits. “Volunteering strengthens the place you live,” she says.
