Kaitaia Volunteer Fire Brigade: Abuse from public all part of the job

The firefighter was manning a road block, set up by the police as opposed to the fire brigade, after a man was struck and dragged some distance by a vehicle, suffering serious injuries. Photo / File

Kaitaia Volunteer Fire Brigade Station Officer Kay Ah Sam was not impressed when a firefighter copped a mouthful of abuse from a woman on the southern side of the Mangamuka Gorge on Tuesday night last week.

"Sadly, I can't say it was a one-off though. It happens all the time," she said.

The firefighter was manning a road block, set up by the police as opposed to the fire brigade, after a man was struck and dragged some distance by a vehicle, suffering serious head injuries.

"I explained that it was a police road block, and that a man had been seriously injured and was possibly dying," Ms Ah Sam said.

"That didn't make much difference though, and my suggestion that she might like to apologise to the firefighter she had abused didn't go down especially well either.

"This was a well-educated, well thought-of woman, but there are plenty others like her.

"It's a bit rough that these volunteers give their time and expertise at all hours of the day and night, helping to protect people and property, and they get abused for their troubles. I really don't understand it."