FENZ King’s Birthday Honours recipients recognised

Fire and Emergency New Zealand volunteers and staff were presented with Royal Honours by Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro at Government House in Wellington on 11 September.

Peter (Ralph) Fegan: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM)

Mr Fegan volunteered with Franz Josef Volunteer Fire Brigade for 22 years before joining the Wānaka Brigade, where he has served 17 years. He was Chief Fire Officer in Franz Josef from 1977 to 1996, initiating the formation of a Rural Fire Party, and has been Secretary since 2013 at the Wānaka Brigade.

He has been involved with the United Fire Brigade Association as President of the Central Otago Fire Brigades Sub-Association from 2021 to 2023 and became Senior Vice President of the Otago/Southland Gold Star Association in 2023. He was previously a Westland District Councillor from 1989 to 1995 and a civil defence controller for Franz Josef from 1979 to 1995.

Glenn Teal: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM)

Mr Glenn Teal has been Chief Fire Officer of the Auckland Operational Support Unit (OSU) since 2010, having joined the preceding Auckland Volunteer Fire Police Corps in 1979.

The Auckland Operational Support Unit (OSU) comprises 60 volunteer members and provides 24/7 support to Fire and Emergency New Zealand personnel and other emergency services across Auckland. Mr Teal’s leadership has ensured the seamless operation of the unit across the wide and diverse Super City region. He helped formulate Fire and Emergency’s first comprehensive basic training and progression system for Operational Support personnel in 2011, still in use today.

He was on the committee which instigated a national standard for Fire and Emergency’s Operational Support personnel apparel. He established an Observer Programme to drive recruitment, introducing potential recruits to the unit’s in-field activities. He led projects to upgrade the unit’s standalone radio network, refurbish OSU premises, and replace brigade vehicles in 2023. He mobilised OSU resources to directly assist following the 2010 Christchurch earthquake and during the 2019 Marlborough wildfires. He oversaw measures to ensure the Auckland OSU could continue to provide full support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ian Campbell: King’s Service Medal (KSM)

Mr Ian Campbell has been a member of the Te Awamutu Volunteer Fire Brigade since 1982. He has been Chief Fire Office of the brigade since 2007, overseeing the busiest volunteer brigade in the Waikato region with more than 400 callouts annually and more than 40 volunteer members.

He has worked to transition the brigade to become more modern and dynamic and formalised volunteer pathways within the brigade, developing a safety-culture based ethos for officers and practicing manaaki. He led the fundraising of $54,000 for the purchase of hydraulic rescue equipment in 2009 and $41,000 for a new emergency response vehicle in 2016.

In 2014, he led a team to negotiate a memorandum of understanding with St John to assist with medical emergencies with a purpose-built vehicle. He chaired centennial celebrations of the brigade in 2013, which included events and station enhancements.

Arthur (Greg) Imms: King’s Service Medal (KSM)

Mr Greg Imms has been a member of the Kerikeri Volunteer Fire Brigade since 1968 and rose through the ranks to become 3rd Officer. Over more than 50 years of service Mr Imms has had a 92 percent attendance rate at callouts. From 2008 to 2013 he was Acting Deputy Chief Fire Officer, helping guide the Brigade during a transitional period.

In his early years of service he gave his time to help build the Brigade through the acquisition of second hand equipment. He has been made an Honorary Life Member of the Brigade. Mr Imms has also supported St John Ambulance in Kerikeri, helping with difficult patient extrications at crash sites and resuscitations for cardiac arrest ambulance callouts.

Glenn Williams: King’s Service Medal (KSM)

Mr Glenn Williams served with the Mount Maunganui Volunteer Fire Brigade from 1981 to 1993 and since 1993 with Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade.

Mr Williams has been Chief Fire Officer of Te Puke Brigade since 2006 and is a Life Member. He provided insight from the volunteer perspective as an Integration Advisor for the transition from the New Zealand Fire Service to Fire and Emergency New Zealand from 2018 to 2020.

He became a Director of the United Fire Brigades Association (UFBA) in 2011, attaining several leadership roles until being appointed President in 2018 and subsequently a Life Member in 2019. He was engaged with the UFBA’s involvement in the development and consultation phases of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act, helping shape the framework.

Other King’s Service Medal recipients for services to Fire & Emergency New Zealand were Robert Webb, Lance Berry, and Brian Carter.