The Weekend Lifestyler, May 12th, 2023

THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER IS PUBLISHED WITH PRIDE BY INTEGRITY COMMUNITY MEDIA, A PRIVATELY OWNED NORTHLAND COMPANY.

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7,780 copies, distributed on Friday to every residential and rural home throughout the district including Whangārei, One Tree Point, Ruakākā, Waipū, Mangawhai, Kaiwaka and Wellsford.

NEWS YOU CAN TRUST

Ribbons of pink

u by Ann van Engelen

To support the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation, the One Tree Point PTA hosted a Pink Ribbon brunch at the school hall last Sunday.

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“As the PTA, we usually fundraise solely for the school, but we wanted to give back to our community, and this is a cause that is dear to our hearts,” says PTA co-chair Kylie Moore.

“You’d be hard-pressed to find a woman or family in our community who hasn’t been affected in some way by breast cancer. Most people have either lost someone to cancer or know someone who is going through it. The campaign is close to our heart, and affects men too. Our head organiser Pania Papera lost

lump was nothing to worry about. She is still very much amongst it and is an absolute warrior. She opened up the floor for a question and answer session and was very honest in sharing her experience.

“The tickets sold out early, and we had loads of raffles and prizes for the best dressed, including a Bedazzle Your Bra competition. We couldn’t have done it without our amazing sponsors who supported the event. It is truly heartwarming knowing what an amazing

both of her grandmothers, and I lost my mother to breast cancer.

“We had two local guest speakers at the brunch. One was Kylie Feales, who is a member of our staff and on our PTA as well. Kylie is a breast cancer survivor and spoke about navigating the world of breast cancer. We also had Holly Welsh, who many locals know from working at Ruakākā pharmacy.

“At 33 years old Holly was told she only had months to live after being told by a doctor at the DHB that her

community we live in. It was a fantastic event, and hopefully, we will be doing it annually.

“There is a link on the One Tree Point School PTA Facebook page where people can click and donate directly to our fundraising campaign until Mother’s Day. It is a very special cause, and these events are all about raising money for the foundation so they can carry on their wonderful work of supporting patients and their families while trying to find a cure for this disease.”

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p PTA members Emily O’Dell, Kylie Moore, Pam Weir, Gemma Bradburn, Shelley Newey, Louise Taylor, Bree Harnett, Kylie Seales, Tania Papera and Amba Allan

“You’d be hard-pressed to find a woman or family in our community who hasn’t been affected in some way by breast cancer”

p One Tree Point School teachers Pam Weir, Gemma Bradburn, Laura Stevens and school principal and Best Dressed winner Shiley Winters Photos courtesy of Emily O’Dell

Planting this Mother’s Day

u by Ann van Engelen

In conjunction with Mother’s Day, this Sunday, May 14, Kaipara Moana Remediation is hosting a free community planting day on the banks of the Kaiwaka River Reserve.

The Mother’s Day event gives locals a chance to contribute to planting another 1,600 natives on the reserve banks from 1–4pm.

“We are hosting a series of community tree planting events to help achieve our goal of planting 400,000 trees this winter alone,” says KMR leader Justine Daw.

Despite ongoing challenges with storms and flooding, strong progress is being made with efforts to plant 20 million native trees throughout the Kaipara Moana catchment in 10 years.

“Rain or shine, we would love people to bring their mothers down and join us at our first event to plant on the banks of the Kaiwaka River on Sunday, May 14, rain or shine.

“We are working with our event partners Kaipara District Council, Te Uri o Hau Environs, EmGuards and Kaiwaka School to give the community a chance to come together and beautify the banks of the Kaiwaka River alongside the recently installed walking path.

“The day will help teach people the best locations to plant trees, how to protect trees from rabbits and pūkeko, what species KMR uses and how planting near riverbanks helps reduce the impact of floods.”

People are encouraged to bring a spade, sturdy footwear, gloves, a hat and raincoat, then put their names on the guards around the trees they plant and go back over the years and check on their progress.

“By the beginning of March, less than two full years into KMR operational delivery, it was working with close to a third of the estimated 1,500 landowners in the catchment. To date, more than 500 landowners have taken, or are taking action or are engaging with the organisation to develop projects.

“That has resulted in more than 620,000 native plants being planted or contracted for planting in riparian, wetland, coastal and highly-erodible areas across 137 hectares. More than

389 Sediment Reduction Plans have been developed and contracted to underpin specific plantings of native trees and grasses, with a further 35 SRPs currently in development.

“To ensure the plantings are protected from farm animals, more than 430km of fencing has been completed or contracted for delivery — more than the distance from Whangārei to Taupō and back.”

For more information on KMR’s free community day at Kaiwaka this Mother’s Day, contact hono@kmr.co.nz. ¢

p Dani McBride, preparing the plants for the Kaipara River planting project on Mother’s Day p The native plants are being provided by Kaipara Moana Remediation

Celebrating the coronation

u by Ann van Engelen

The residents of Ranburn Ultimate Care, Waipū, celebrated the coronation of King Charles III with several activities this week.

“We have a lot of residents from the United Kingdom living here, and it was all very exciting,” says activities coordinator Carina Pentz.

“There were flags up around the premises, and we planted a tītoki tree to commemorate the occasion with a dated plaque and Ranburn on it so we will always be remembered. The tītoki tree is native to Northland and is evergreen, so can be enjoyed all year round.”

On Monday, the residents made a Victorian Sandwich to mark the coronation.

“The cake is a sponge with cream and jam in the middle, and we had quiche for lunch, as that is King Charles’s signature dish he asked for. Queen Elizabeth’s signature dish was chicken. On Tuesday, we had a high tea complete with cucumber sandwiches and Earl

Grey tea which the ladies and gentlemen thoroughly enjoyed.

“Many residents here were born in the same era as the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth and watched Charles be born and grow up. They have many stories and were very interested in the coronation. They talk a lot about William and Harry and how they really loved Diana and are sad that she didn’t get to be Queen.

“One resident said they saw how hard it was for Elizabeth when she heard her father was dying and being crowned Queen. They say she was always quite fancy and well-dressed but very innocent, and they have enjoyed watching how the royal family’s lives have evolved over the years. To see Charles become King was another historic moment for our residents to be a part of, and the celebrations certainly made them smile.”

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p Trish Douglas and Ginette Herrmann enjoyed the high tea

p A great time of reflection was had by Dorothy Thompson, Maureen Taylor, Ginette Herrmann, Thomas Potter and Henry Hadlee

p Maureen Taylor, Susan Hansen and Mary Hughes pose with the celebratory fruit plate and Victorian cake

Recognising local heroes

u by Ann van Engelen

Four Square Kaiwaka celebrated staff member Alicia Reynolds being nominated for the annual Four Square Charlie Local Hero Awards last week.

This year saw the creation of the new Local Hero Award, recognising the staff members who go above and beyond for their community.

“We are very proud of Lish and her service here at the store and to the Kaiwaka community,” says Four Square Kaiwaka owner/operator Ant Pederson.

“Although she didn’t win overall — she’s a winner in our eyes. In fact, our whole team are winners and we are thankful to Lish for all she does in the community and how our team steps up in her absence to support the volunteer work she does. It is a real team effort. Staff member Jean McLeish was also nominated for the awards.

“The Charlie Awards recognise the best of the best across more than 150 stores in the North Island. Lish does an incredible amount of community work, including being a member of the local volunteer fire brigade and working at the Kaiwaka Sports Association.

“We are really pleased that she was able to go and experience the awards in Blenheim. She had a lot of fun and deserved to be treated. Her role in the fire brigade sees her attending many different events, including fires, motor vehicle accidents and medical emergencies. When someone is in need, she is usually attending without hesitation.

“Lish’s community work keeps her busy alongside her full-time job here as

a senior team member. The things she does in our store are pretty amazing too. She is always helping others and those in need. She is a Kaiwaka local through and through, and that is really cool that she is a part of our crew. It is a real credit to Lish how she executes things in-store as she serves and volunteers outside to give back locally.

“To get chosen as a finalist was very special for our store. Our staff are incredible, and my wife Jess and I are proud of how the store has gone forward

from when we first arrived. We now have our new coffee machine going, and chicken and chips are on their way. We are looking forward to more good things

in-store and are very aware that Four Square Kaiwaka is what it is because of the people — without them we would be nothing.” ¢

p Kaiwaka Four Square staff member Alicia Reynolds was deservedly nominated for the Four Square Charlie Local Hero Awards last week

“The Charlie Awards recognise the best of the best across more than 150 stores in the North Island”

Rose of the desert

u by Liz Clark

In the botanical world are some weird and beautiful plants growing in climatic extremes, such as the arid regions of Africa and the Middle East, including the slow-growing Adenium obesum.

More commonly known as the desert rose, these unusual succulent plants have a thick bottle-like truck, thin leaves and trumpet-shaped, richly coloured flowers in various shades.

Selective breeding by horticulturalists has developed the plant into many varieties of floral colouring. Moreover, with its slow-growing habit of 30cm a year, the desert rose has become a favourite for bonsai enthusiasts.

Being a desert-derived plant, it needs full sun to thrive. If growing indoors, choose a spot that receives plenty of sunlight throughout the day. A windowsill or a room with plenty of light

sources is a perfect location. Since this succulent is a subtropical plant, it can only grow in the northern parts of the country. Ensure that a sheltered, warm, sunny, frostfree location is chosen, if planting outdoors. Avoid planting near any overhanging trees or shrubs so it can gain maximum sunlight.

The soil should be sandy, freedraining and slightly acidic at pH 6 for best results. Poor drainage will result in the entire plant collapsing from root rot. If there is any doubt, use a specialised cactus mix obtained from your local landscape supplier or garden centre.

The base of the desert rose should be above the soil. As it matures, it will form a thick, bottle-shaped trunk with exposed buttressed roots bringing an architectural touch to the garden setting.

During the growing season, keep the soil moist but not soaked. The desert rose flowers profusely from spring until autumn when it drops its leaves and blooms for winter dormancy. Regular liquid feeding with fertiliser will keep the plant robust and healthy. If scale insect is a problem, then use neem oil or a commercially-prepared insecticide from a garden centre. If growing in pots, use a cactus mix to ensure the plant

has the correct drainage; otherwise, it will rot. Use terracotta pots rather than glazed ones. During winter, move the plants indoors or on to a sheltered patio if available. Keep watering to a minimum during its dormant season. Repot, when your desert rose becomes rootbound.

Desert roses can be propagated from cuttings using a clean, sterilised pair of secateurs. After taking your cuttings, allow the bases to dry for 24 hours, then place in small pots with cactus mix. Keep the mix moist but not soaked. For tips on how to bonsai your succulent, look online for more information.

The game of strategy

u by Ann van Engelen

“The club has been going for two years here in Mangawhai, and our Maungatūroto Chess Club started in February this year,” says club manager Tina Smith.

“My dad taught all of us kids basic level chess when we were young but being a typical girl. I wasn’t that interested or that smart. I, however, became a mum of three young boys, and obviously, due to my husband’s genes, they are all smart in their own way.

“I taught them all chess, and they enjoyed playing it and noticed that my youngest is extremely bright and has an amazing memory. After watching the Queen’s Gambit movie, on Netflix in 2021 this inspired me. I decided to start a chess club in Mangawhai and later one at the Otamatea Christian School.

“The first club around April 2021 at my home. During the Covid outbreak in the summer of 2021, I had to run the club outdoors. So I ran it from Mangawhai Heads outdoor public courtyard using the public seating opposite Coffee Collective and Gringas Mexican restaurant. The club is continuing to grow in popularity and numbers.”

Tina says the game is a great way of bringing people of all cultures together.

“It brings together different generations and communities regardless

of age, skill level or economic status. Kids love our relaxed and fun approach to chess. I also award personally engraved chess medals and trophies, which I order from Australia. We are all friends and carpool to attend chess tournaments and events.

“Entering these competitions is really important for our children. Mangawhai Chess Club’s Ryan Smith came second overall for the juniors, and Victoria Dai came third overall for the juniors, and

won top junior girl. Victoria has only been with our club for three terms.

“We also had a team of four boys from Otamatea High School, who won first place in the Intermediate/ Senior Northland School Teams Category for Northland. Team member Jackson Wintle came first place overall for individuals in the senior age category.

“The clubs include teaching and training of absolute beginners as well

as preparing kids for tournament level chess. The Otamatea club opens up the possibility for Otamatea High School, Maungatūroto Primary School and Otamatea Christian School students to play.

“Kids from Wellsford, Kaiwaka, Hakaru and Waipū attend the clubs and school holiday chess tournaments too, with around 20 kids this term attending Mangawhai Chess Club and 10 in Maungatūroto.”

Members of the Mangawhai and Maungatūroto chess clubs placed well at the recent Northland Regional School’s Teams Chess Competition.

p The Mangawhai and Otamatea chess club members came away from the Northland Regional School’s Teams Chess Competition with several wins

To GPT or not to GPT

u by Andy Bryenton

Everyone is talking about the smart artificial intelligence program ChatGPT, a virtual assistant involved in everything from more efficient web searches to cheating in university examinations.

First of all, what is it? Chat GPT is not ‘alive’, and although it’s powered by the principles of Artificial Intelligence, it’s not a self-aware robot mind like those from science fiction. However, it has been programmed by very smart people to pretend to be such a mind. It can talk to you in a conversational way, and help you write emails, letters and reports.

That’s a godsend for some industries which rely on fairly generic

communication. Customer service, replies to frequently asked questions and the kind of research you could easily perform using Google or Wikipedia are handled in a snap by Chat GPT.

You can find it embedded in Microsoft’s Bing search engine and apps such as Wisdom AI or ChatAI Powerbrain. Some of these apps throw in the ability to create images, too, and can generate everything from movie scripts to blog posts for you. It’s different from previous ‘smart’ assistants like Alexa or Siri due to the level of detail ChatGPT enjoys. It understands language much better.

Now, this is where the troubles begin for ChatGPT’s disruptive power. There’s nothing wrong with having a smart computer brain write a ‘boilerplate’ letter answering a customer’s question or snapping off an email apologising for being unable to attend a meeting. However, ChatGPT can do much more. Those letters stand for Generative PreTrained Transformer, meaning that it can appear to write whole new reports. Reports on the level of school and university essays, say educators. That is obviously an issue for qualifications,

but there are limitations to the AI’s technology. As it uses information from the Internet to create its arguments, it can return inaccurate or invalid responses, and it has a weakness regarding fact-checking. Moreover, because the Internet can be a toxic place, especially in subjects such as religion and politics, ChatGPt can sometimes throw out biased, offensive or inappropriate content. Using it without double-checking its work can prove risky.

It’s a fun tool to use and could save you lots of time in terms of those little communications keeping the wheels of commerce rolling. However, when it

comes to articles like this one, it lacks something humans have; the ability to have a real opinion. It’s also prone to what’s known to writers in a joking way as the ‘Hollywood Movie Problem’. This problem references the tendency of studio executives to play it safe and turn out remakes of the same story with the same characters.

Take a look at ChatGPT, and you’ll be amazed at how far AI technology has come. It’s not at the point where we can build an electronic William Shakespeare, but if you need to write a quick email explaining one of his plays to a friend, it could be just the thing you need. ¢

p The biggest buzz in tech is ChatGPT, but what is it really, and how can you get a closer look at the latest in artificial intelligence?

Improving sustainable ideas for the future

u by Amy Fifia

With many countries globally heading toward a greener future, many inventions and innovations are being created or enhanced in the technology space, aiming to curtail climate change.

Minimising carbon input has been a hot topic for a while now. With the ongoing need to address climate change, some inventors have created and designed more sustainable options. Here are some ideas on how to make that possible from the homes we live to travel along with broader objectives such as offshore wind farms.

Many industries have altered their approaches to meet the need for a netzero future. From Tesla’s solar roof to transparent solar windows, the design increases the energy you can conserve from the exterior of your home.

Transparent solar panels can be used instead of regular glass windows to make your home more sustainable. Solar power has been an eco-friendly trend for a while, but the innovation continues evolving and improving. Low-carbon construction has seen options, such as eco-friendly concrete from Golden Bay Cement, among other companies.

Another technology that has been recently making headway is green hydrogen. New Zealand already has its first power plant in Taupō by Halcyon Power. The innovation uses the thermal energy from Lake Taupō to lower the emissions from travel through hydrogen

cars. Companies throughout New Zealand are looking at hydrogen as a possible future for transportation.

In Northland, Channel Infrastructure and Fortescue Future Industries are researching the likelihood of creating green hydrogen at Marsden Point. They are scoping to see whether it is a viable option.

New Zealand has 17 operational wind farms, which amounts to six per cent of energy in the country. The idea of having an offshore wind farm is becoming a possible solution to create sustainable energy.

In March this year, Port Taranaki and BlueFloat Energy signed an agreement with NZ Super Fund and Copenhagen Partnership Infrastructure Partners’ Taranaki Offshore. The partnership will assess how to make the port a centre for an offshore wind farm.

Innovators across the globe are continuing to improve and update ideas. In New Zealand, the government and industries continue to lay down the infrastructure to support green ideas to make a sustainable future.

Scientists in Europe and the US are looking at nuclear fusion as a carbon-free energy source to be used commercially.

The decades-long research reached a turning point last year when JET Laboratories in the UK extracted enough energy to boil a jug of water. The studies continue to work out how to harness the power better.

There are various eco-friendly and low-carbon options that you can tap into to add to the effort of minimising your carbon input. With many enhancements in the technical field, you can decide on the innovations that fit your lifestyle.

p There are 17 operational wind farms in New Zealand, with the research to create the first offshore one at Port Taranaki in progress

Get a grip on winter motoring

u by Andy Bryenton

Winter conditions are definitely here, turning roads into wet and sometimes even slippery and icy surfaces.

When it’s rainy, cold and dark, you and your family rely on the technology between you and the road to keep things in line. Over the years, developments in automotive design, from aerodynamics to tyres to electronics, have combined to make driving in winter safer than ever.

The tread on tyres is one of the simplest but most vital of these

components. Early tyres had long, thin grooves, all running the same way to channel water away from the rubber surface when rain fell. You may have noticed that serious racing cars have completely slick tyres. That is to maximise the contact surface between the tyre and the track in dry conditions. Observant watchers will also have noticed that formula one cars go into the pits for new tyres as soon as the track gets even slightly damp. That’s because tyres with grooves in them use the weight of the car to squeeze water up and away through the grooves, meaning that the point of contact between the tarmac and the car is still effectively dry. Not doing so could lead to the sliding, out-ofcontrol sensation we call aquaplaning. Different kinds of tread are better for different conditions, and most road tyres have a tread pattern which maximises this water-repelling function. Some off-road tyres are made for gravel and mud and might not work quite as well on a slippery paved road. Snow tyres, sometimes unscrupulously sold

on second-hand cars, are no good in the wet at all; they are really for ice and snow only.

You might think that checking your tyre tread is enough to ensure safety on winter roads, but there are a few other systems to check over as well. A vehicle’s shock absorbers and suspension don’t just smooth out the ride over potholes and bumps. They also keep the wheels in contact with the road, pushing them down for more grip. Soft, springy shocks or worse, aftermarket ‘sports’ lowering kits applied by amateurs can ruin the suspension profile of a car, as can excessive wheel camber, often applied to mimic drift cars, but useless on wet roads in the real world.

The final thing to check out before heading off into the drizzle and dark is your brakes. With WOF checks now only mandatory on an annual basis for many

cars, it pays to look at the condition of your brake pads. These are easy to replace, and a good set of brakes can be the difference between a quick stop and disaster. Electronic systems such as anti-lock brakes, traction control and stability control are self-diagnosing for most modern cars. Ensure there are no tell-tale warning lights on the dash indicating that they have malfunctioned.

If in doubt, book your car in for a check-up before winter, no matter how long it is until your next WOF. ¢

p Be winter ready — ensure that there’s plenty of tread on your tyres and that the suspension and brakes are up to the task

Weather-readying your clothes

u by Amy Fifita

If you enjoy the outdoors, even in the damper months, now’s a good time to weatherproof your gear for upcoming hikes or activities.

Before you hit even more wet weather, prepare your wardrobe for the possible downpours and drizzle when out and about. Spraying it with a silicone spray will protect the fabric and increase its durability. It is also an opportunity to buy waterproof clothing or service existing items.

Even if you don’t trek through the bush, waterproof some garments you might use while outside. It will provide more comfort when watching your children or grandchildren play winter sports.

As handy as an umbrella or raincoat is, sometimes that is not enough to shelter you from the cold and rain. Sprays won’t make regular clothing impenetrable but will make it partially water-resistant. Waterproof items you usually travel with, such as handbags and satchels. Make your tramping gear water-resistant with a thin coating of silicone spray and remember to coat your footwear too to avoid damp socks and unnecessary wear on your shoes.

Lay some newspaper or cardboard on flat ground and place your garment on it. Spray the item evenly from at least 20 centimetres away. Assess for pools of liquid, dab them with a cloth and let the item dry. Although a spray may help with your regular clothes designed for the wet such as raincoats or parkers will add extra protection. When you do wash your pre-waterproof items, use a specialised detergent.

Cleaning it with regular detergent can damage it and make the garment less effective. Ensure the washing machine is clean from traces of your usual cleaning products. You can also spot-wash the material of mud and apply some air curing proofer for items with small patches of mud. Using the specially designed detergent increases the lifespan of your waterproof clothing. After a wash, use a waterproof spray to maximise the effectiveness of the outerwear. You can also buy washin cleaners to avoid the extra process of spraying.

If you dislike silicone spray, a mix of beeswax and paraffin wax is an effective alternative if your garments are made of natural fibres. With a heatproof bowl and saucepan, create a double boiler with space between the water and the bowl. Place the wax in the bowl and add heat to the saucepan so the wax can slowly melt. Once the wax is melted, remove it

from the heat. Using a paintbrush, put a thick layer onto the fabric and dry it with a hair dryer so the fabric absorbs the wax. Let the garment cure for at least 24 hours in a well-ventilated area. With all clothing, accessories and specialist materials ready to resist or repel water, you will be prepared to take on the rain ¢

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p Waterproof your garments to make them more durable and ready for the damper months

For team and community

u by Ann van Engelen Ruakākā

resident Billie Hopkins joined the local fire brigade in 2015 as a result of observing her mother enjoy her involvement in the service.

“We lived in Ahipara, and around 10 years ago, my mum Joanne joined the fire service there,” says Billie.

“Mum joined because she always heard the sirens going off and one day realised becoming a firefighter was a way she could give back to the community. She went to see what was involved and never looked back. I then moved back to Takahiwai to look after my nana, and mum followed and transferred to the Ruakākā brigade, and then I decided to do it too and help our community too.

“Mum has since retired from the service but is still a huge support to me and my amazing husband, Kurt. When I go to a call out she helps with our family and is also there when I attend training courses and events. I couldn’t do it without Kurt’s support either. He is very integral in what I do.”

Billie is a mum to three children and works two jobs.

“I run the yard at Digger Mate. We hire out diggers and do digger work for people. My other job is at the port, where I do wood chip sampling and things.

“When I started at the brigade, I had to learn new skills and then attended the seven-day recruits course in Mt Wellington. The course refines the skills you have and determines if you can become a firefighter. They have a realistic fire building for live fire training, and the heat gets up to around 300 degrees inside.

“There are things like confined space exercises and breathing apparatus work. Being able to work in confined spaces under extreme pressure is important, and if you are claustrophobic, that is a problem. Some people don’t realise

how claustrophobic they are until they face the training building fire. For me, it was a phenomenal experience. The training is very challenging, yet lots of fun, and I met some awesome people from across the country that I am still friends with. Your own brigade really becomes family and very tight-knit. We do things together outside of work and at the station, like sharing potluck dinners and having a midwinter Christmas with our families.

“Our crew has a lot of children now. I have been pregnant twice during my career here. If you are expecting a baby, you are pulled off the truck but can still attend training and help in other ways with light duties.”

It was International Firefighters Day on May 4. It is a day when communities show their appreciation for firefighters

“Tragic events can affect us intensely, but we keep doing it for our community”

p As a senior fire officer, Billie has completed several courses to upskill herself for the job at hand

and acknowledge the mahi they do. It is also a day crews remember firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty or dedicated their lives to the service.

“We do so much more besides fighting fires. We respond to a wide variety of emergencies, including house or scrub fires, animal rescues, motor vehicle accidents, medical emergencies alongside St John and dealing with hazardous substances.

“Animal rescues can be interesting. One recent rescue was a dog that got its leg stuck in the hole of the barbecue table. Cats get stuck in trees, and years ago, a horse was stuck in mud. For that one, we wrapped our empty firehose in front of the hindquarters, and people pulled from each side, and it managed to pop out.

“When you are a volunteer firefighter, you don’t have to attend every call. When the siren goes, we get a pager alert, text message and a cellphone alert. If you are available, we push ‘responding’ and

make our way to the station, put on the appropriate structural or wildfire gear, and we hop on the truck.”

The rescue tender is for fires, medical or car crash-type incidents and has the cutting equipment on board. The other truck has the main waterway equipment.

“We leave the station with lights and sirens on. Sometimes drivers don’t realise we are coming up behind them as they don’t look in the mirror or hear us for a variety of reasons, so we have to blast our horn to make them aware.

“We tell people to stay calm and pull over to the side if it is safe to do so. We don’t want motorists to put their lives or others in danger. If they can’t pull over, we will go around them when it is safe.

“If we get to a bad situation and know the person involved, we are given the option to stand back by the officer in charge. We have counselling available after a traumatic call, and when we

return to the station, our support person comes in and we discuss the job, and check if everyone is OK.

“If it’s really traumatic, a counsellor or someone higher up comes immediately to talk to us. Our crew all check on each other and ensure that we are OK when we have gone home. Everyone really cares about everybody and how they are feeling. Team members who didn’t attend the event check-up too. When it’s not a happy outcome, we all feel it, work through it and then leave it.

“Tragic events can affect us intensely, but we keep doing it for our community, and having the support system in place certainly helps. The camaraderie we have keeps us going as well. I have been on three courses to refine my skills, and progressed from recruit to qualified firefighter and recently completed the Senior Firefighter course. The Senior Firefighter Course is more of a leadership course teaching how to be a good leader, to lead your crew and take charge at events.

“We have four crews, and we clean the trucks and do safety and equipment checks weekly to ensure everything is working and ready for our call-outs. Our Monday night training is different every week. It could be practising cutting up a car to familiarising ourselves with the different because every call-out is different, and we never know what it is we could be attending.

“Our fire chief Darrell Trigg is awesome as a leader, and all of our partners contribute as well by doing things like looking after the kids or maybe making lunches for training days. Every member is relevant to the success of the brigade, and it is like that across the country. We always love it when there is a happy ending at the event we are called to.

“I have loved my time so far and really encourage others who are interested in joining us to come along to the station on a Monday night at 7pm and see what we do. What can start as interest can end up becoming a career.”

“Animal rescues can be interesting. One recent rescue was a dog that got its leg stuck in the hole of the barbecue table. Cats get stuck in trees, and years ago, a horse was stuck in mud”

p At Monday night training, the crew ensure the trucks and work equipment are up to standard p Billie chose to join the fire service after watching her mum Joanne dedicate her time to the brigade

p It is with thanks to Billie’s husband Kurt that she can accomplish all she does

p The Ruakākā Volunteer Fire Brigade has become part of the Hopkins’ extended family

Hatea Loop walk for road safety

u by Ann van Engelen

With Road Safety Week being May 15–21, Northlanders are being asked to help lower the road toll and honour our road safety heroes by walking the Hātea Loop.

The theme of Road Safety Week is ‘Be a road safety hero’ by acknowledging everyone who helps make our roads safer and supporting people after a crash, and recognising that we can all play a part in making journeys safer for everyone.

Bream Bay resident Ryan Hall can’t speak highly enough of first responders and wants Northlanders to pay tribute to our local road safety heroes by walking the Hātea Loop.

“The walk is planned for May 18 at midday. It will involve Northland Road Safety Trust, Northland Transportation Alliance, ACC, first responders, civil contractors and more,” says Ryan.

“Members of the community and local businesses are encouraged to join in and help raise awareness of what people can do to keep themselves and others safe on our roads.”

Ryan is reflecting on how lucky he is to still have his son Kayden, who survived a fatal car crash at One Tree Point on Anzac weekend in 2021.

“A ute carrying Kayden hit a truck head-on, with the driver of the ute passing away at the scene. Passersby removed Kayden from the ute and lay him on the side of the road, where he was being comforted by Sophie. Kayden

had a broken right femur, and there were concerns he may have suffered internal injuries.

“It was my worst nightmare, and I was really concerned about what other injuries he might have had. The Northland Rescue Helicopter guys were incredible, and the medics attending to Ryan were amazing.”

Two years on, despite Kayden making a full recovery, the trauma of the incident is still very real for the family.

NRST’s Ashley Johnston urges locals to become road safety heroes by adopting safer driving habits, driving to the conditions, wearing seatbelts and not driving distracted or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

“I want drivers to pay more attention to what is ahead of them on our roads,” says Ashley.

“I would love to see hundreds of locals join us on a walk of the Hātea Loop, so we can talk about just what road safety means and how we can all play a part in making our roads safer through our own actions.

“Slowing down, being courteous and considerate to road users, making safe and sensible decisions and not being in a rush are really good starting points — along with putting phones away. People

often drive too fast for the conditions, drive while distracted and fatigued, do not wear seatbelts or drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

“We can all contribute to safety on our roads whether we are driving,

walking or riding. Poor decisions can have a massive impact on a lot of people and create heartache for years to come.”

For more information, go to roadsafetyweek.org.nz. ¢

p Ryan and Kayden Hall meeting paramedic Northland Rescue Helicopter medic Nick Scott and pilot Joel Higgie who attended to Kayden

PUZZLE TIME

33 Pilfer (5) 35 Jewelled headdress (5) 36 Board game (4) 37 Gruelling (4) 43 Din (6)

Oily fruit (5) 46 Actor’s part (4) 47 Branch of mathematics (7) 48 Dissertation (6) 49 Uncanny (5)

50 Keyboard player (8)

51 Did duty (6)

52 Coiled driving force in a clock, watch (10)

53 Time period (4)

54 Smelling offensively (7)

59 Early anaesthetic (5)

60 Gambler’s stake (4)

64 Branches (5)

65 Halved (8)

67 Sunshade (7)

68 Score (7)

70 Wealth (6)

71 Intimate friends (6)

72 Black suit (6)

75 Creature in Scandinavian folklore (5)

77 Male relation (5)

78 Surface burn (5)

79 Plan secretly (4)

80 South American country (4)

Sudoku

Fill

ACROSS: 1 Ended, 4 Stripped, 9 Adrift, 14 Munch, 15 Start from scratch, 17 Scale, 18 Goo, 19 Microbe, 20 Egotistic, 21 Across, 24 Enigmatic, 25 Fitful, 26 Picnic, 29 Troubadour, 31 New, 32 Decree, 33 Smog, 35 Eve, 37 Bust, 39 Instances, 40 Mandibles, 41 Tulle, 42 Infringe, 47 Dentures, 51 Henna, 55 Imbalance, 56 Carpetbag, 58 Cage, 59 Fit, 60 Grin, 61 Saddle, 62 IOU, 63 Lengthened, 66 Basket, 67 Rattle, 69 Landowner, 72 Urgent, 73 Discomfit, 75 Lampoon, 77 Rib, 80 Eight, 81 Stick your neck out, 82 Shard, 83 Sturdy, 84 Sardines, 85 Brief.

DOWN: 2 Nitpicker, 3 Error, 5 Thor, 6 Insight, 7 Pyrotechnics, 8 Dates, 9 Atheist, 10 Risk, 11 Fiancé, 12 Snags, 13 Chaotic, 14 Melodic, 16 Fabrication, 22 Emboss, 23 Outcome, 24 Equator, 25 Fewest, 27 Nimbler, 28 Seance, 30 Real, 32 Deals, 34 Gases, 36 Tilt, 38 Urn, 42 Icing, 43 Fabrics, 44 Idle, 45 Genial, 46 Knife, 48 Nightingale, 49 Unclear, 50 Egg, 51 Headway, 52 Active, 53 Troublemaker, 54 Tell, 57 Bonbon, 64 Enclosure, 65 Feigned, 66 Bulrush, 68 Thirsty, 70 Nairobi, 71 Knight, 72 U-boat, 74 Coins, 76 Poker, 78 Star, 79 True.

Last week’s crossword solution 5x5

Insert the missing letters to complete ten words — five across the grid and five down. More than one solution may be possible.

Jumbo crossword