Years of dedication to Civil Defence recognised

19 September 2017 - Nineteen of the region’s Civil Defence and Emergency Management responders and staff were recognised on Friday.

Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management Director Sarah Stuart-Black presented the recipients with their long service awards, with some people being recognised for more than 30 years of work in the sector.

Chair of the Bay of Plenty CDEM Group Joint Committee, Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless, said it was an honour to be able to recognise the years of service.

“Whether they have responded locally or nationally, given their time voluntarily or even if they are part of the engine room making sure our communities are able to get through a disaster, what they have done is remarkable.

“Without the people in this room, our local communities wouldn’t be what they are today.”

Tauranga

Peter Seager, NZ Response Team 16, 10 years
Peter started his service in 2006 and continues to this day, he has attended many public displays and was deployed by MCDEM to support Christchurch in February 2011 Earthquake. Also assisting Police and Search and Rescue team over the years. Peter is committed to weekly training to keep up skills learned at courses and exercises.

Kerry Gordon, NZ Response Team 16, 10 years
Kerry started in the Volunteer Response Team in 2002 and is still a active team member. Kerry contributed to the work that successfully gained accreditation for the team to be registered as New Zealand Response Team 16. Kerry has many qualifications and attended public displays. Over the years Kerry has been deployed numerous times to assist Police in recoveries and weather related events.

Kevin Nichol, NZ Response Team 16, 10 years
Kevin has been an active team member of the Volunteer Response Team for over 14 years, he is the senior team medic. Kevin has contributed to work needed to successfully complete courses to gain accreditation for the team to be registered as New Zealand Response Team 16. Kevin has been deployed many times to assist police and supporting public events as a medic.

Shaun Thomson, NZ Response Team 16, 10 & 20 years
Shaun first started as a volunteer in 1995 and is still actively involved in New Zealand Response Team 16. Today Shaun is being recognised for 10 and 20 years long service. Shaun contributed to the work needed to successfully complete courses to gain accreditation for the team to be registered as New Zealand Response Team 16 and is committed to weekly training to keep up skills learned at courses and exercises. Shaun has attended numerous public events and assisted Police with many recoveries of the years. Shaun was also deployed by MCDEM to support Christchurch in 2011 Earthquake.

Craig Winters, NZ Response Team 16, 10 & 20 years
Craig has played an active role in New Zealand Response Team 16 since 1991 and today Craig is being recognised for his 10 and 20 year long service. Craig participated in Council run Civil Defence rescue exercises held throughout the North Island until the stopped in 2002. He is committed to weekly training to keep up skills learned at courses and exercises. Craig contributed to the work needed to successfully gain accreditation for the team to be registered as New Zealand Response Team 16. Along will attending many public events, assisting police with numerous recoveries, Craig was deployed MCDEM to support Christchurch in Feb 2011.

Peter McCarthy, NZ Response Team 16, 10 & 20 years
Peter joined in 1989 and is still an active member of the team. Today Peter is being recognised for 10 and 20 years long service. Peter participated in Council run Civil Defence rescue exercises held throughout the North Island until the stopped in 2002. He is committed to weekly training to keep up skills learned at courses and exercises. Peter contributed to the work needed to successfully gain accreditation for the team to be registered as New Zealand Response Team 16. Along with public events, assisting Police with numerous recoveries over the years, Peter was deployed by MCDEM to support Christchurch 2011.

Melvern Wainwright, NZ Response Team 16, 10 & 20 years
Melvern’s service started in 1989 and continues to this day, today Melvern is being recognised for his 10 and 20 year long service. Melvern participated in Council run Civil Defence rescue exercises held throughout the North Island until the stopped in 2002. He is committed to weekly training to keep up skills learned at courses and exercises. Melvern contributed to the work needed to successfully gain accreditation for the team to be registered as New Zealand Response Team 16. Along with the years of experience Melvern has been successful in gaining many qualifications. He has assisted the Police with numerous recoveries and being deployed by MCDEM to support Christchurch in 2011.

Rotorua

Mark Gatens, NZ Response Team 15, 10 years
Mark joined the team in 2006 and with the qualifications and experience he brought to the team in a short period of time became a Team Leader. Mark has been deployed over the years to help in many situations from recoveries to weather events. Mark is a committed member of the team, raising funds, organising events and participating in community resilience projects.

Opotiki

Ian Castles, Opotiki District Council, 20 years
Ian was appointed as Civil Defence Officer for Ōpōtiki District Council in 1990 and is still currently in this role today. Ian is also the Ōpōtiki District Council Principal Rural Fire Officer and a volunteer fireman for the district.

Kawerau

Chris Jensen, Kawerau District Council, 20 & 30 years
Chris has played an active role in Civil Defence for the last 30 years and today he is being recognised for 20 and 30 years long service. In 1987 Chris was employed by Rotorua District Council, in 2003 he moved to Kawerau District Council were he was appointed to Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Coordinating Executive Group and also as Recovery Manager. In 2012 Chris was appointed at Local Controller for the Kawerau/Eastern Bay of Plenty.

Chris Jensen will be presented with his award at an upcoming meeting

Whakatane

Geoff Brown, NZ Response Team 17, 10 years
Geoff has been an active team member of the New Zealand Response Team (NZRT 17) for 11 years, in this time he has assisted in the Police with numerous recoveries and has attended many weather related events in the Eastern Bay. Geoff was also deployed to Christchurch during the 2011 earthquake.

Cliff Stewart, NZ Response Team 17, 10 years
Cliff joined in 2006 and now is in his 11 year as a Rescue Volunteer, he is actively involved with both New Zealand Response Team (NZRT 17), which has seen him deployed twice to Christchurch to assist in the aftermath of the earthquake. He has also assisted Police with recoveries and responded to many weather related events in the Eastern Bay.

Aubrey Dalton, NZ Response Team 17, 10 years
Aubrey is in his 11 year of service as a rescue volunteer and has completed all the required training and Civil Defence unit standards and despite his age there is no slowing him down, Aubrey continues to forge on and plays an important support role for the team. Over the years Aubrey has attended many of the weather related events in the Eastern Bay even responding to his own flooded property. Aubrey is an active member of the New Zealand Response Team (NZRT 17).

Jamie Rhodes, NZ Response Team 17, 20 years
Jamie is currently in his 21st year as a Rescue Volunteer, as well as the two deployments to Christchurch during the 2011 Earthquake, Jamie has assisted Police with numerous recoveries and attended many weather events in the Eastern Bay of Plenty flood events. Jamie also volunteers his time to a number of other agencies Whakatāne Rural Fire, LANDSAR, Kiwi Halo Trust. Jamie is a trusted member of New Zealand Response Team 17.

Brenda Davis, NZ Response Team 17, 20 years
Brenda joined as a Rescue Volunteer in 1996 and is currently in her 21st year of service. Brenda is the teams longest serving female with an excellent attendance record and has been involved in most if not all of the local events. In addition to assisting the Police with numerous recoveries over the years, Brenda was also deployed to assist in 2011 Christchurch earthquake and the RENA clean-up.

Tony Gillard, NZ Response Team 17, 20 years
Tony joined the Whakatāne District Council Civil Defence Team in 1989 as a volunteer and is now in his 28th year. Tony was appointed Rescue Manager in 2004 and is still currently the Team Manager. Tony has been deployed to all natural disasters in the Eastern Bay of Plenty since 1989, and assisted Police with numerous recoveries over the years. Tony was deployed twice in 2011 to Christchurch to assist with the Earthquake. Tony was also awarded the Emergency Management Academy of New Zealand Chief Executives Award for Excellence in 2007.

Alan Keeber, NZ Response Team 17, 20 & 30 years
Alan has currently served 31 years as a rescue volunteer and today is being recognised for his 20 year and 30 year long service award. Alan is a respected Team Leader of the New Zealand Response Team 17 holding this role for 9 years. Alan has deployed twice to Christchurch during the 2011 earthquake and assisted with the RENA clean-up. Alan has led and assisted Police with numerous recoveries. Alan most memorable and challenging moment over the last 10 years was being in charge of the New Zealand Response Team’s Emergency Operations Centre during the Christchurch Earthquake.

Western Bay of Plenty

Peter Watson, WBOP District Council, 20 years
Peter has been actively involved with Civil Defence since 1993 where he led logistic teams in local EOC’s. In 2014 Peter was appointed as alternative controller for the Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

Gary Allis, WBOP District Council, 10, 20 & 30 years
Gary is celebrating a milestone with Civil Defence with the recognition of his 10, 20 and 30 years of service. Gary started in Civil Defence in 1975 by undertaking radio training at Devonport Naval Base. Since starting Gary has been a part of an EOC structure across councils including Waikato County Council, Waikato District Council before moving to Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

In 1989 Gary worked in operational response and as alternative local controller in the flood events in Waikato. Over the years Gary has been actively involved in numerous severe weather events and tsunami responses. Gary has been an appointed Local Controller for a number of years and has also previously served as an alternative Group Controller.

ENDS

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