Fire brigade short

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 44, 21 April 1987, Page 1

Fire brigade short

While full-time fire fighters in Wanganui and around the country hold stop work meetings for wage rises, the unpaid volunteer firemen such as those in the Waimarino battle on silently. Volunteer firemen and women are a dedicated few who hold down full-time jobs but drop everything when the alarm goes up. Like most volunteer fire brigades, Raetihi faces the problem of having firemen who work out of town or who are away on business when an emergency occurs. To complicate matters Raetihi's numbers are flagging and more volunteers

are needed to boost the ranks. Raetihi's chief fire officer Alex Weir is optimistic that the brigade will receive some new applicants although there are some popular misconceptions about volunteer brigades. "We find some people lose interest straight away when they find out that we are a service to the community and so don't get paid," he said. "People need to be prepared to sacrifice a little time and effort." A criterion for firefighters, as well as dedication, is a good level of fitness to cope with the physical aspect of their job.