23/07/2024
Clive Whittfield, Fire Chief of the Pokeno Volunteer Fire Brigade has retired, although still a life member of the Brigade.
๐งโ๐๐ 33 years of Service.
I speak on behalf of Pokeno Brigade members and also no doubt the local community.
Thank you Clive for your service and stop by at the station for a cup-a tea if your in the area.
A biography written by Clive Whittfield himself.
What a ride it has been! Pretty much the only reason I initially became involved in my local fire brigade back in 1990 was because they urgently required a qualified truck driver who was available during the day.
Becoming a firefighter was like entering a whole new world for me. A little daunting at first, and it was never intended to become a priority in my life, but there was a need, and I was looking for some way to contribute to my then new to me, local community. Within a couple of weeks I had learned how to put the pump in gear and get water to the fireground, and before I knew it I was driving the fire truck to emergency calls under lights and siren! Not an ideal introduction into the Fire Service (and would not happen like that in todayโs organisation!), but it was a different world back thenโฆ
Long story short I quickly found my niche in the brigade, rapidly worked through the courses and achieved the rank of Senior Firefighter within about three years. I was a lot younger then, fitter, healthier and able to handle the oftentimes mentally/emotionally challenging motor vehicle accident callouts that were so much the norm for us back in the days before the expressway was built (thankfully no longer the case these days). We were a tight knit group who worked and played hard. Like I said, a different world.
Somewhere through all that I became motivated enough to join the paid staff side of the Service and served as an operational firefighter based primarily in Auckland. This led to training and training development jobs that for a number of years, took me all around the country.
Fast forward over 3 decades and I have served as the Chief Fire Officer Mercer/Pokeno for something like the last 18 years or so. The brigade is still very much a tight knit bunch, but the faces have changed over the years. A couple have stayed the distance but for the most part it is a different meld of motivations and attitudes. This is to be expected, times change, the brigade is far busier than it was, and we have recently moved from the Old Mercer fire station to a new, larger and much more fit for purpose location in Pokeno township.
It has been an absolute privilege to be part of this brigade and to serve the local community. I will miss the friendship and comradery of the crew and the excitement of the callouts, but it is time to pass the baton on to the next generation. Iโm leaving knowing that the brigade and the community are in good hands.
Ps:
The Pokeno brigade is entering another recruitment drive.
We hope this biography from Clive gives inspiration and encouragement to come talk with us about joining the Brigade.
Give back to the community, be part of a team, make friends and enjoy a few laughs along the way.
If your interested in joining the Brigde, direct message us or call by on any Monday training night, from 6pm.
