Honour for fireman

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 419, 14 January 1992, Page 1

Honour for fireman

Raetihi Fire Chief Alex Weir was awarded the Queens fire Service Medal, (Q.F.S.M.) in the recent New Year's honours list. Mr Weir has served 35 years in the Fire Brigade, becoming Deputy Chief in 1974.

then Fire Chief in 1984. Mr Weir said he was extremely surprised at receiving this award and was very humble as he thinks others have worked just as conscientiously. So far Alex has received numerous phone

calls, letters and personal visits of congratulations. Included are letters from Prime Minister Jim Bolger, Dame Cath Tizard and Chief Executive B.S. Armstrong, National Commander of the New Zealand Fire Service.

Mr and Mrs Weir will travel to Government House in Wellington during May for his investiture. Among Alex's memories of the fires he has attended was the fire at the printing office in the 1950's, then situated beside the BNZ Seddon Street, Raetihi. Next was the Raetihi Cosmopolitan Club fire in 1970. This building was then two stories high and Alex had to enter the upstairs part of the building in the dark and feel his way to the trouble spot. In 1977 the Cosmopolitan Club suffered another fire. This time welding was being done an outside diesel tank and it exploded. Diesel ran under cars, which also caught fire. "In the early days the brigade was without radios but firemen managed the best way they could. Now that fire engines are equipped with radios it is much easier to obtain the back-up service," said Alex. Mr Weir was also an ambulance officer for 27 years. He also became a Justice of the Peace in 1985 and is continuing in this. Alex says he never looked upon his work as anything special and was happy to serve the community. He feels it was his service as an ambulance officer that contributed towards gaining the Q.S.F.M.