John Sandison, QSM, of Rotorua, with Governor-General of New Zealand Dame Cindy Kiro at the Investiture Ceremony at Government House. Photo / Supplied
Five Fire and Emergency New Zealand personnel, including John Sandison from Rotorua, were presented with their Queen's Birthday Honours by Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro at Government House in Wellington on Tuesday.
John Sandison was a career firefighter with Fire and Emergency New Zealand in the Kawerau district from 1974 until
retiring in 2018, while simultaneously volunteering with the Rotoma Volunteer Fire Brigade for 45 years.
John was officer in charge of Rotoma Volunteer Fire Brigade for several years.
He contributed significantly to volunteer training, retention and succession planning for the brigade, which operates in a community where there is a frequent turnover of residents.
He was the Kawerau Fire Brigade delegate to the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) for several years and was made an honorary life member of the union in 2018.
