King’s Birthday Honours: Taihape’s chief fire officer Alan Troon receives King’s Service Medal

Taihape Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Alan “Curly” Troon has been awarded a King’s Service Medal in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours.

Troon joined the Fire Brigade in 1991 and became Chief Fire Officer in 2009.

“My wife had a chimney fire, so afterwards I went round and shouted the brigade a couple of beers and they asked if I was interested in joining and I’ve been there ever since,” he said.

In 2022, Troon oversaw the rebuild of the Taihape Fire Station and received a life membership.

He has been involved in a range of other roles within the community, including president of the Taihape Tennis Association and the Taihape Kindergarten Committee.

Troon is president of the New Zealand Boot Throwing Association (NZBTA), a sport he has been involved with since the mid-1980s when he became a champion thrower in Taihape’s annual Gumboot Day.

He won the Toyota Lifetime Legacy Award from NZBTA as part of the 2021 Norwood Rural Sports Award.

“It’s something unique to Taihape and we’d like to keep it there for as long as we can,” he said.

“The gumboot-throwing team, we’re a small crew but they’re a great bunch of people.”

Troon has also coached at the Taihape Badminton Club, and been a member of the Taihape St John Area Committee.

When Troon received notice he would be getting a King’s Service Medal, he didn’t believe it was true.

“I thought it was an email scam,” he said.

“It took me about a week to decide to accept it, I didn’t take it lightly.”

Troon thanked the people who nominated him and his wife for her ongoing support.

“I’m just grateful to be nominated and accepted.

“It’s a humbling experience,” he said.

“I appreciate whoever’s nominated me and all the people who were involved in the process.”

Olivia Reid is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.