Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) get their just reward.

I will start by declaring a vested interest. One of my children is a professional fire fighter. As a degree qualified academic and top quality athlete I assumed that, when he declared his interest in FENZ, he would hose in through the application process. Not at all. It was very tough – especially at the interviews – and I am exceedingly proud that he applied five times and worked as an orderly at Auckland hospital for 2 – 3 years to prove that he was tough and dependable. One of my proudest days was being at his FENZ graduation in Rotorua where he had the privilege of speaking for the new Fire Fighters.

These people are very much quiet achievers in our country. You don’t need them until you NEED them. They are then there in spades. As well as their obvious work in attending fires and traffic accidents they are also the first attenders for heart attacks and do a broad range of education and fire prevention work. They thoroughly deserve the contract settlement they have just received.

These men and women do all of the stuff I would simply like to avoid. Climbing ridiculously high ladders, running towards a fire, risking explosions to get people out, crawling into dark and forbidding spaces, attending the carnage of traffic accidents, performing CPR on people who may not make it …

Well done FENZ – you thoroughly deserve the settlement.

They are also a part of an international brotherhood. I have had the privilege of visiting the 9/11 memorials in New York and at The Pentagon. The most moving speech I have ever watched is this one by Jon Stewart to Congress.