Bay of Plenty firefighters celebrate success

Bay of Plenty firefighters were awarded for their efforts at the Fire Emergency NZ Celebrating Success Awards 2017. Photo/Andrew Warner

Bay of Plenty firefighters were awarded for their hours of community contribution at the Fire Emergency New Zealand Celebrating Success Awards 2017 this morning.

Pagers went off halfway through the ceremony as East Coast MP Anne Tolley presented six awards to the winning firefighters at Classic Flyers.

Greerton senior firefighter Steve Johns was awarded the community enrichment award alongside fire risk management officer Jess Johnson from Waikato.

"I am honoured to be standing here today," Johns said. "I get up every morning and I love coming to work, so I didn't expect to have been nominated so thank you."

Johns was presented the community enrichment award for his work in the Hamilton youth development programme he established with Jess Johnson.

Johns said the programme was established in September 2013 to help young men overcome their fears and find confidence.

"Seeing the positive impact the programme has on these boys is incredible," he said. "You can see the difference it makes. Some overcome fears, some become more confident."

Johns helped run the programme in Hamilton until he transferred to the Greerton station in 2015.

He said becoming a firefighter was in the family as he followed in the footsteps of his father who was once a fireman.

"I enjoy the role," Johns said. "It is not about the big red truck for me, I enjoy being in the community."

Kawerau station officer Andrew Chappell won the Safety Health and Wellbeing and Region 2 fleet coordinator Neil Albert won the operational efficiency award.

WINNERS:

Winner for Safety Health and Wellbeing
- Station officer Andrew Chappell, Kawerau

Winner for Operational Efficiency
- Neil Albert, Region 2 Fleet Coordinator

Winner for Risk Reduction
- Senior firefighter Leon Kahn, Gisborne

Winner for Community Enrichment
- FRMO Jess Johnson, Waikato, and Senior firefighter Steve Johns, Greerton

Winner for Leadership
- Senior firefighter Tim Lister, Gisborne

Highly Commended
- Chief Fire Officer Merv George, Whitianga, and senior fire fighter Leanne Cryer, Puriri