Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade Celebrates 205 Years of Service

The Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade honoured its members at an annual honours night on September 27, recognising their service and commitment to the community. As of October 13, the brigade has responded to 257 calls for the calendar year to date, including 13 calls over a recent fortnight comprising five false alarms, four motor vehicle crashes (two requiring extraction with rescue equipment), and four medical assists. The brigade also highlighted support from key sponsors throughout 2024-2025, including Metalco for providing cars for training practice, Southern Cross Horticulture for funding the new cadet programme, Baygold for sponsoring a van upgrade, and Arun Mehan for ongoing property sale donations. Award recipients included Joel Simmons and Tess Brown (three-year certificates), Denise Wyllie and Diana Hutchings among others (five-year medals), and John Wyllie (40-year certificate), with Tess Brown also named Rookie of the Year.

Originally published in Te Puke News by Sun Media.