Pride of NZ: Crusade to keep rural fire service going

Murupara Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer Maera Maki is surprised to have been nominated for a Pride of New Zealand Award. Photo / Stephen Parker

A Murupara woman credited with single-handedly saving a volunteer fire brigade has been nominated for a Pride of New Zealand Award for her great work in the community.

Maera Maki has been nominated in the emergency heroes category for her work as the chief fire officer at the Murupara Volunteer Fire Brigade.

When she learned the Kaingaroa Forest Volunteer Fire Brigade might close, she dedicated herself to save it. She set up a Help Save Kaingaroa Fire Brigade page on Facebook and went door to door to drum up volunteers as well as running a recruitment drive.

She arranges combined training to get all recruits up to speed and spends a lot of her free time running extra sessions for those who can't make the regular training nights. Her nominator said Mrs Maki was "an amazing person who deserves to be recognised for the dedicated service she provides to her community".

Mrs Maki, who has been a volunteer in the fire brigade for 26 years, said she was "quite shocked" to learn she had been nominated for an award.

"I didn't think I would ever get nominated for something like that. I joined when my cousin signed up and she wanted someone to go to training with. She asked me so I did and I'm still here."

Mrs Maki, 46, has been the chief fire officer for the past 11 years.

Anyone can nominate people they feel are unsung heroes working hard to make a difference within their community. The awards are being held in association with the Rotorua Daily Post, The New Zealand Herald, The Hits radio station and TSB Bank. The six categories honour bravery and heroism, community spirit, environmental leaders, emergency heroes and fundraisers.

For more information and to nominate someone, visit the Pride of New Zealand website www.prideofnzawards.co.nz. Nominations close on Sunday.