Supporting North Canterbury's volunteer firefighters
After 36 years as a firefighter, Colin Russell still vividly remembers the first fatal incident he attended – for all the wrong reasons.
He was still a teenager, a fresh recruit as an urban officer in Dunedin, and was called out when a pedestrian was fatally struck by a car at a busy intersection. The scene was gruesome.
“[I] sort of put [myself] in his place – just walking along the street in town and then next thing boom.
“All those thoughts run through your head when you put yourself in his space and that's not where you want to go.”
Things were different in those days. Russell received little support and was told to brush it aside and enjoy a cup of tea after returning to the station.
Nowadays, Russell is the operational readiness and support manager for 16 volunteer brigades in the Hurunui and Kaikōura areas, overseeing about 300 people.
The role was formed in September following a national restructure at Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz).
Russell said Fenz had recognised the need for welfare and support a few years ago, particularly after the Canterbury earthquakes.
“There are very good support systems in place [now].”
Russell, armed with a bachelor degree in psychology, could draw on his many experiences to help for the volunteers under his command.
Rural firefighters and those in small towns were often the most affected by trauma, as there were “only one or two degrees of separation” between them and the person they were helping, he said.
“[I’m] making sure they've got the support in the brigades, so they know they can reach out and get some help.”
After his start as an urban officer in Dunedin, Russell spent 25 years in Invercargill and became a manager. In 2011, he was called in to help with the response to the Canterbury earthquakes – the largest event he had ever had to cover.
“Just the scale of that – you're never going to forget that.”
Russell became an officer development manager in Rotorua, where he helped train of firefighters in incident management and leadership for three years.
“The great thing was you got to connect with the whole country ... it was really cool to put a finger out to all these little brigades and meet people.
He then began a managerial role in Christchurch, mainly working on forming policies, but he yearned to be in the community and helping frontline staff. He achieved that when he took on the role supporting the Hurunui and Kaikōura volunteers.
“[I was] doing some significant work in the big picture stuff, but you have to be careful to keep it balanced and remembering where you came from.”
In the little spare time Russell has, he can usually be found on the golf course or digging into his numerous studies.
It was important for firefighters to have hobbies to unwind from the pressures of the job, he said.
So far, he has completed a diploma in sports studies, a post graduate diploma in emergency management, a bachelor of psychology, and a few other management qualifications.
“I'm always in that learning mode. Study almost becomes a hobby, I always joke that I’ve spent 25 years at university,” he said.
“It's been a bit of a distraction as well because you get to focus on whatever you're learning at that particular time.”
Russell planned to do more study in the new year, but his key focus was returning to work and doing all he could to support the North Canterbury community and his firefighting “family”.
“Thirty-six years later I'm still here and loving it and not looking at doing anything different.
“You really feel a sense of worth that the job you're doing for the community fills that need ... there's purpose in abundance.”
Fears motorway toll could leave North Canterbury town worse off
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A community leader fears a toll on the proposed motorway extension could leave a North Canterbury town worse off.
Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell said she fears Woodend could face increased traffic without promised safety improvements, if a toll is introduced on the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension, which includes the proposed Woodend Bypass.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) last month announced consultation for a toll of $4.30 for light vehicles and $8.60 for heavy vehicles (including trucks) on the new 11km Manawatu Gorge Motorway, which will be completed next year.
It means commuters could be stung with paying an extra $43 a week in their travel costs.
The agency said the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension will be 9km, including the Woodend Bypass and the realignment and four laning south of Pineacres.
Woodend residents have been waiting for safety improvements since NZTA began consulting with the community eight years ago.
But the safety improvements have been placed on hold, pending the progress of the motorway extension.
‘‘My biggest concern is people will continue using the existing road through Woodend and will go through Kaiapoi or Tuahiwi to avoid paying the toll,’’ Powell said.
‘‘And Woodend may not get the safety improvements, so nothing changes.’’
Powell was also concerned the speed reduction from 100kph to 80kph on State Highway 1 between the Pegasus roundabout and Waikuku could be reversed, following changes to the Setting of Speed Limits rule being announced.
‘‘It was a speed limit requested by the community as a safety improvement.
‘‘To go back to having that fast speed limit for traffic coming from the north, it would just be disastrous.’’
NZTA director regional relationships James Caygill said the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on land transport requires the agency to consider tolling for new roads.
‘‘But it is too soon to discuss any potential tolling options until the scope and cost of this project has been confirmed’’.
Caygill was unable to confirm whether the 80kph speed limit between Pegasus and Waikuku would remain.
He said the agency will identify locations affected by the rule once it is finalised later in the year.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown said Waka Kotahi ‘‘is working at pace’’ to deliver the motorway extension.
‘‘NZTA’s project teams are reviewing the scope, design, cost, and timing of all Roads of National Significance projects to ensure consistency with expectations in the GPS on Land Transport 2024.’’
He said Government ‘‘will support any recommendation from NZTA to toll roads’’.
The Government was also committed to ‘‘reversing Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions’’, Brown said.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Neighbourly challenge: Who can solve the daily riddle?
I have a crown but am not a king.
I'm prickly on the outside but sweet within.
What am I?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
Poll: Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?
There's nothing worse than strolling around the streets in your neighbourhood and seeing dumped rubbish.
Have you noticed this in your area? What could we do to combat this around the country?
-
43% Yes, I've seen some illegal dumping
-
56.3% No, our neighbourhood is pretty good
-
0.7% Other - I'll share below
Loading…
