Kāwhia Volunteer Fire Brigade thanks community for their support in getting a new vehicle

Chairperson of Ōtorohanga charitable trust Kim Ingham (from left), qualified firefighter - Kāwhia John Sabini, Ingham Mitsubishi Te Awamutu dealer principal Stefan Cooper and Ingham Mitsubishi Te Awamutu sales consultant Trevor Hose. Photo / Jesse Wood

The Kāwhia Volunteer Fire Brigade has received a new utility vehicle that will accompany them on missions, thanks to the support from various organisations and the community.

The vehicle is a white Mitsubishi Triton GSR, and will be easy for the community to recognise because the other utes are not white.

It has been sent to Raglan to be covered with the Kāwhia Volunteer Fire Brigade insignia on it in red, as well as logos of those who funded this vehicle. Once that is completed, it will be on the road and ready for emergencies.

“This vehicle is property of the volunteer fire brigade, it is not property of Fire and Emergency New Zealand — the truck is, but this ute is a brigade vehicle and we are happy that the wider community has provided us with it,” says John Sabini, of the Kāwhia Volunteer Fire Brigade.

The Kāwhia Volunteer Fire Brigade covers an area of over 600sq km, from Kāwhia to Tahāroa, all the way to Ōtorohanga and the road going up towards Raglan.

“This means that the community will see this ute in a large geographical area and beyond,” says John.

“As we are called out to structure fires, scrub fires, motor vehicle accidents, and medical emergencies, the ute will be following the fire engine to support the truck by aiding in carrying all the crew and equipment.

“Whenever the alarm goes, it would be unusual for the ute not to follow the truck,” says John.

Those who donated to this vehicle were Waipā Networks, Ōtorohanga Charitable Trust, and Pub Charities Limited, which is a national charitable organisation based in Wellington.

Ingham Mitsubishi Te Awamutu put together a good deal for the Kāwhia Volunteer Fire Brigade and discounted the vehicle because it was going to be used in emergencies.

“They are a big sponsor for this vehicle as well as the other organisations, so I want to thank them too for their support,” says John.

“It is rewarding because as volunteer firefighters we give a lot of time happily to the community, and you go out on missions just as soon as you sit down to your dinner or at 2 o’clock in the morning, we are happy to do that.

“But it is nice that when we need something back in the form of funding for this ute, which is for the benefit of the community. Everybody was so generous, and it is nice to feel that our efforts are appreciated,” says John.

John says there is another spare support ute on site that this ute has replaced, so if there is an emergency and all hands are on deck, there is an older vehicle at the station that can still get the crew out.

He hopes when the vehicle is spotted or turns up to incidents, the community can acknowledge the funding that was given by the community for this ute.