Waikato Hospital Gets Gift From Grateful Firefighters

The Waikato Hospital ward where Hamilton firefighters recovered after last year's Icepak Coolstore fire at Tamahere now has two fold out sofa chairs and a two-seater couch courtesy of a fund set up for their families.

Ward 7 clinical nurse manager Lynne Walker and Waikato Hospital group manager Dr Grant Howard accepted the furniture from Hamilton station officer Colin Irvine and firefighters Merv Neil, David Beanland, Adrian Brown, Dennis Wells, Brian Holford and Cameron Grylls on Thursday.

Also present was Eastern Waikato area manager Gary Talbot, the city fire chief on the night of the fire in April last year.

The firefighters presented two plaques, one for ward 7 and the other for the emergency department.

Mr Irvine said the firefighters though it was appropriate to make a donation to the hospital to thank staff for all they did, not only on the night but in the weeks and months afterwards.

Ms Walker said she was "overwhelmed" with the gifts. "We're all part of a team," she said.

"We were proud to be part of your recovery."

Mr Talbot said it was "humbling" to be back at the hospital with such familiar faces. Even in big cities there were communities and the hospital was a community for the firefighters, he said.

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