Firefighters form a guard of honour for Gold Star recipient Glenn Anderson, his wife Christie and daughter Charlotte. Photo / Dean Taylor
Te Awamutu Senior Station Officer Glenn Anderson didn’t want too much fuss made of the fact he had completed 25 years as a volunteer firefighter - and his colleagues honoured that wish, to some extent.
Anderson started his firefighting in Rotorua where he grew up, but has called Te Awamutu his home and home station for about 20 years.
To take some of the spotlight off him and his Gold Star award, the presentation was held in conjunction with Te Awamutu Volunteer Fire Brigade’s Annual Honours Evening on Saturday night.
But Anderson was the star of the show, piped into the hall through a guard of honour of fellow firefighters with his wife Christie, also a Te Awamutu volunteer firefighter, and their 2-year-old daughter Charlotte.
Awards and accolades were presented on behalf of the United Fire Brigade Association by past president Brian Watters (Chief Fire Officer Morrinsville), Auckland Provincial Fire Brigades Gold Star Association by president Grant Mitchell (Volunteer Support Officer and Life Honorary Member Te Awamutu), Fire and Emergency New Zealand by group manager Waikato David Brown, Auckland Provincial Fire Brigades Association by senior vice-president Nathan Bennetto (CFO Putāruru), Taranaki / King Country Member of Parliament Barbara Kuriger and Te Awamutu Volunteer Fire Brigade by CFO Ian Campbell and Deputy CFO Karl Tutty.
Campbell added a surprise when he announced Anderson was being presented with Life Honorary Membership of Te Awamutu.
He said, in his view, such long and valuable service to volunteer firefighting, especially as most of the service was in Te Awamutu, and Anderson’s excellent contribution and leadership to the brigade deserved such an honour.
Anderson responded and said he was honoured with the Gold Star award and Life Honorary Membership.
He thanked everyone who had spoken and his colleagues at Te Awamutu for their support and camaraderie over so many years.
Anderson paid special tribute to his wife and his mother-in-law Lauren Welton, who always steps in to help with family care when he and Christie are tied up at the same emergency, sometimes for a number of hours.
Anderson was employed by the Rotorua Daily Post as a printer when he thought he would “give volunteer firefighting a go”.
He says Rotorua had career firefighters as well as volunteers, so it wasn’t a busy station for the non-professionals.
When the Rotorua press fell victim to the centralisation of printing processes, Anderson first moved to a new job in Hamilton but didn’t like the city and found himself in Te Awamutu where he joined the local brigade.
In his early days here he worked at CI Munro in Ōtorohanga and was able to turn out for their volunteer brigade during work hours.
For the past 16 years, he has been working as a truck driver for Growing Spectrum and says the company is supportive of his volunteering and allows him to attend call-outs whenever possible.
A bonus of being a member of Te Awamutu Brigade was meeting his future wife Christie. That was 11 years ago - she received a Two Year Silver Bar for 11 years service on Saturday night - and they have been a couple for 10 years and married for five.
In his time in Te Awamutu, Anderson has undertaken extra training and attended leadership courses and workshops to improve his qualifications and knowledge, leading to his role as Senior Station Officer.
“I think it is important to show leadership and take responsibility as a senior member of the brigade,” he says.
“I plan to stay in the brigade and want to help nurture young volunteers and pass on my skills and knowledge to future generations.”
He said having a family changes priorities, but he and Christie have managed to find a system that allowed them to be parents and emergency volunteers and they will continue to serve while that system works.
Anderson has also been involved over the years in the competitive elements of New Zealand brigades, taking part mainly in Stairclimb Championships, but also Firefighter Challenges.
Te Awamutu has a proud history of competition across a number of events, but lately, the Stairclimb participants have put the town on the map.
Anderson says it helps build camaraderie and teamwork, is also good for fitness and stamina, and prepares firefighters to perform better under pressure in emergency situations.
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