About 60 past and present members and family of the Willowby Volunteer Fire Brigade recently celebrated half a century of service to the district.
They were joined at the Willowby Hall by fellow members from Mayfield, Hinds and Pendarves brigades.
One attendee got a big surprise when they were called to the stage.
Former Willowby firefighter Ross Chalmers was presented with a much-deserved gold star for 25 years of service to the brigade. Knowing he was going to attend, the brigade took the opportunity to ensure his service was duly recognised.
The first chief of the brigade, Ian Moore, said a public meeting was called in the Willowby Hall on July 22, 1974. It was to discuss establishing a fire response team for residents within a three-mile radius.
To buy the equipment needed, it was decided each household would pay $25.00 as well as 10 cents per acre. At the end of the first year, the balance sheet showed $3099 of income and $2803 in expenses.
Along with the gold star presentations, Moore gave an informative history of the brigade, Mayor and Pendarves firefighter Neil Brown spoke along with current Willowby chief Todd Smyth. Moore and Smyth cut the anniversary cakes.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) Mid-South Canterbury district manager Rob Hands presented the brigade with a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion, while Brown presented members with commemorative cups.
Tributes were paid at the celebrations to the partners who deal with the situations firefighters leave as they respond to calls, family plans changing, children missing a parent, chores not done. ‘‘The families also are there for the firefighter on their return sometimes bringing with them emotions be it from a training or an incident. Like it or not they are where we sometimes debrief,’’ Smyth said.
‘‘The number of times the last thing I hear while rushing out to a call is stay safe, dinner will be in the microwave,’’ Smyth said.
Things have changed over 50 years with the Willowby Fire Brigade now being part of Fire and Emergency New Zealand. ‘‘The equipment and training along with support from FENZ is greatly appreciated,’’ Smyth said.
In 2000 two women joined the brigade. Station officer Deb Stilgoe-Brooker, who organised the 50th anniversary celebration still a member.
‘‘We have had families that have had several members of the the family in the brigade at the same time,’’ Smyth said. Stilgoe-Brooker’s two daughters Amy Stilgoe and Penny Stilgoe have followed in their mum’s footsteps and joined the brigade.
For not only the brigade but for the Willowby community 2009 was a sad year, when one of the brigades founding member Barry Keen sadly lost his life while attending a call out. Keen died when branch from a burning tree fell on him.
When the brigade celebrated its 21st anniversary in July 1995 a funny story emerged when they went to light the straw bales for a demonstration on extinguishing a fire, they had to ask the public for a match.
‘‘What that proved was we were better putting fires out than starting them,’’ Moore said.
