The Mangonui Fire Brigade is doing its best to alarm as many Doubtless Bay residents as possible.
Led by brigade member Colin Mercer, it is continuing its drive to install smoke alarms, free of charge (although the 139 alarms installed in 109 homes as the result of the last twomajor campaigns produced donations of $540).
Colin told the brigade's AGM that the last year had been a big one, with two major smoke alarm drives. The first took the form of a mail box drop from Taipa to Hihi, with the support of the local mail ladies, the second a sweep of the Karikari Peninsula, with support from Whatuwhiwhi CFO Thomson Lawrence and his brigade. Meanwhile the last month or so had been relatively quiet for the Mangonui brigade according to spokesman Brian Gillespie. Cyclone Lusi had prompted several calls, including trees that came down on power lines at Oruru and another that fell on Taupo Bay Road, although locals had done most of the work there by the time the crew arrived.
The brigade also responded to a boat being driven on to rocks in Mangonui Harbour, although its rescue boat struggled to shift it. Far North Coastguard dragged it back into the water.
Meanwhile a new appliance was in the pipeline, and recruiting officer Mark Gummer was working with nine prospective members.
