Dean Maddaford. Photo / Supplied.
Dean Maddaford knows a bit about being a surf hero - and now he's set to have a go at being a 'local hero'.
In his case, a whole West Auckland region will benefit if Dean, a member of the Bethells Beach Surf Life Saving Club who lives at the beach, can win a competition that promises discounted fuel for a whole town for 24 hours.
The national competition divides Auckland into five regions, with Bethells Beach part of the western region. If Dean wins, people using BP service stations in Henderson, Glendene, Kumeu, Mt Albert, Waterview, New Lynn and Glen Eden also win. Other areas around New Zealand are divided into regions and can win cheaper fuel for a day or a small town, like Morrinsville for example, can offer all residents and passers-by the same at its BP store for a day should a local win.
Maddaford is one of five Bethells Beach lifeguards who performed the country's most heroic rescue of 2015 when they pulled six people (two gravely close to drowning) out of pounding surf - winning the BP Rescue of the Year at the national Surf Life Savings Awards of Excellence last month.
He is also intending to take part in the new competition called 'Local Hero', beginning today and ending on November 8, masterminded by AA Smartfuel and BP.
The promotion is designed to create a local hero of a different kind - four lucky winners who activate their new AA Smartfuel/Onecard, available at BP, will be chosen in a random draw to be wealthier to the tune of $5000 each. More importantly, their entire town will benefit from 10 cents per litre off BP fuel for an entire day.
It's part of the launch of the new co-branded AA Smartfuel/Onecard which offers significant fuel and grocery discounts in one card.
Maddaford and four others swung into action when they noticed the six swimmers caught in a rip 300m offshore, at the back of the massive surf - and in real trouble. A co-ordinated rescue involving an inflatable rescue boat, manned by Maddaford and Shane Dwyer, and two lifeguards (Andrew Carr and James Newland) with rescue tubes, was directed by club captain Robin Hammond.
In conditions challenging the ability of the IRB to pluck swimmers out of the water, Maddaford and Dwyer grabbed two who were just about to go under - and ferried them to the beach before returning through walls of surf to get two more supported in the water by Carr and Newland. The remaining two swimmers had been thrown flotation devices and were next to be taken to safety.
Maddaford was quick to say lifeguards all around the country had moments of bravery every single day: "Hero is a pretty strong word - saving lives is what we're trained to do, but we're glad we were able to make a difference on this particular day."
AA Smartfuel director Ian Sutcliffe says the new relationship with Countdown sparked the promotion with BP: "We have about a million AA Smartfuel cardholders who, to earn AA Smartfuel discounts at Countdown, have to pick up a new card and activate it."
His customers are earning about $60m in fuel discounts a year, many saving hundreds of dollars individually at BP stores nationwide: "These are real and significant savings and our cardholders now have an extra opportunity to boost those savings by shopping at Countdown as well as almost 1500 other retail outlets around the country."
AA Members have been sent a new card automatically, so don't need to pick-up another AASmartfuel / Onecard, but Sutcliffe says many of the current AA Smartfuel cardholders are not AA Members - so will have to pick up their new card at a BP store before activating it online via the AA Smartfuel app or through an 0800 number.
"So the competition is an effort to encourage people to do that - because the rewards will be great if they do."
BP's General Manager of Retail, Debi Boffa, says they will be deploying extra staff at more than 70 stores to help customers with activating new cards and answering any questions.
"We hope the opportunity to be Local Heroes will encourage more people to pop down and transition their old AA Smartfuel cards across to the new ones," she says.
The new card, which doubles as both an AA Smartfuel card and a Countdown Onecard, went live this week. The 1.8m Onecard users will join AA Smartfuel's 2.2m cardholders, making it the biggest loyalty card in New Zealand history.
For more information: www.AAsmartfuel.co.nz/BP