Celebrating the heroes who help keep our communities safe
When you’re a firefighter out on a call it’s essential to know someone in the brigade has got your back, but it’s also handy knowing someone is supporting you back at the office.
Steve Gee and Jono Turnbull are volunteer firefighters who both work at Connetics (Southern) Ltd in Cromwell, a network contractor that specialises in power installations and maintenance.
While they’re with different brigades - Gee is chief fire officer for Clyde and Turnbull is a recruit for Cromwell - and have very different roles within the business, they say having a co-worker who understands their dual roles is critical.
They’re grateful to work for a company that understands the importance of their role and values their commitment to the community.
Gee and Turnbull are two of the nearly 12,000 Kiwis who volunteer for Fire and Emergency New Zealand and are ready to respond in a crisis.
Their ability to do that depends on workplaces who are willing to be part of the back-up crew.
Stuff’s community newspapers are partnering with Fire and Emergency to recognise the local businesses who support this important work with the Proud Employer mark, which acknowledges the role they play in keeping communities safe by allowing their staff to respond to an incident during working hours.
“The company is very supportive of the community input that Jono has in Cromwell and I have in Clyde,” says Gee.
With his job based in Cromwell, Gee is less likely to be called out during the day, but says volunteering for Fire and Emergency constantly requires juggling responsibilities between his work and home lives. However, he says volunteering is more than worth it.
“People often ask me why I’m involved with Fire and Emergency. It’s because I have a genuine interest and It’s something I can do to give back to the community. There’s also a lot of value in terms of your own personal development. I treat it as a sport, a hobby and a whole lot of other things rolled into one. It keeps me fit, it keeps the brain active, and it keeps me grounded.”
Turnbull volunteered for mountain rescue in the UK and was keen to continuing volunteering in some capacity when he moved to New Zealand. He was thrilled to be accepted as a recruit with the Clyde Brigade.
“It’s a fantastic thing to be involved in,” he says.
Poll: Is the increase in disability parking fines fair?
In October, the fine for parking in a designated mobility car park without a permit has jumped from $150 to $750—a 400% increase!
The goal is to keep these spaces open for those who truly need them. Do you think this big increase in the fine is fair? Share your thoughts below.
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89.4% Yes, it's fair
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10% No, it's unreasonable
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0.7% Other - I'll share below
House fire causing road closures
Pages Road is closed this afternoon from Breezes Road, this is due to a house that has caught fire in the area.
Coastal Ward Community Board member, Alex Hewison, shared the closure on a local Facebook page.
Fire and Emergency are at the scene but further details have not been shared at this stage.
Avoid the area where possible.
Have your say on Canterbury’s public transport
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Canterbury residents are being encouraged to have their say on public transport in the region.
Environment Canterbury has released its draft public transport plan and is seeking submissions.
The draft plan outlines a vision for public transport in the region and notes key priorities such as improving the environment, growing patronage, accessibility, innovation and technology, and affordability.
‘‘Public transport takes many forms with communities across our region,’’ councillor Peter Scott said.
‘‘With limited funding available, we need to make sure we make the best decisions to deliver a public transport network that is integrated with urban development, innovative and meets the needs of new and existing customers.
‘‘Effective public transport is the lifeline that connects us to work, school, recreation and our friends and family, so it is important we get this right.’’
The Canterbury’s population is growing and by 2050, it is projected 700,000 people will be living in Greater Christchurch.
The draft plan covers public transport for the region, which includes the Metro service (Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri), MyWay by Metro in Timaru, Total Mobility and Community Vehicle Trusts.
It was developed in partnership with local councils and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.
Environment Canterbury has been planning to step up its public transport efforts by increasing the frequency of existing services and introducing mass rapid transport in Greater Christchurch.
But these plans have been stalled by a lack of public transport funding in the Government’s 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme.
A proposal to allow people to travel with domestic pets is also included in the draft plan.
Having pets on buses has been successfully trial in other parts of New Zealand, councillor Joe Davies said.
‘‘We’re keen to understand what controls are needed for our bus users in Greater Christchurch and Timaru to be comfortable with pets on public transport.
It is proposed to allow adult passengers to bring a single pet on board, as long it is in an approved carrier at off-peak times, weekdays between 9am and 3pm or after 6pm, and during weekends.
Another proposal would loosen those restrictions in future to allow for leashed and muzzled dogs and increasing the limit to two pets per passenger.
‘‘We want to gauge how people feel about these proposals. Now is the time to have your say,’’ Davies said.
Submissions close on Thursday, October 24.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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