From humble beginnings…

There’s an adage that “the more things change...the more they stay the same.”

The Greenhithe Volunteer Fire Brigade has certainly changed dramatically since 1958 when the only available water supply in the village were strategically placed 40-gallon drums and Mr Crowther the local store keeper would sound a siren on the roof of his store.

The training and equipment available to current brigade members is a far cry from the original portable firefighting pump and old Reo truck.

What hasn’t changed is the sprit of the brigade members and their desire to be part of their community and give their time freely.  In today’s fast changing world, it’s a comfort and a privilege to be part of such a 50 year old community tradition.

Over ANZAC weekend 2008 (25^th – 27^th April) we’ll be celebrating our 50^th anniversary.  Look out for old friends as we’ve invited every past member and their families back to Greenhithe to join us for the celebrations.

On Friday 25^th the brigade will be marching at the Browns Bay Anzac Day Dawn Parade which begins at 08:00hrs.

We have an open day on station from 10:00–13:00hrs on Saturday 26^th.  There will be live fire demonstrations, car cut-outs, face painting and lots more – please see our advertisement in this issue.

On Sunday 27^th we will be holding the annual Greenhithe Dairy vs Fire Brigade cricket match at Collins Park @ 14:00hrs.  We’re hoping to achieve our first ever win this year.  The big question of course is which team will firefighter Patel play for?  No pressure Pinakin!

Thank you to the Playcentre mum’s, our face-painters and everyone else who is helping us out over the weekend…very much appreciated.

If you want more details on the celebrations and our brigade history they are now available on-line http://www.greenhithefire.org.nz.  Well done to firefighters Craig Worthington and Scott Rees for creating the new site…it looks great.  There’s a set of photos from our recent training in Whangarei, working inside a concrete bunker with temperatures in excess of 250^oc. 

I wonder if our station’s siren, which was obtained from the Hobsonville Air Base 50 years ago, will be there for the 100^th anniversary celebrations.  Here’s hoping!

Keep safe

Firefighter Steve Hey

We have a new web-site http://www.greenhithefire.org.nz/ The web-site has a Greenhithe brigade history, photo galleries and details of the Brigades 50th anniversary celebrations later this year. We’re also competing in this years Sky Tower Challenge. A race to climb the 50+ floors in full kit with a 20kg cylinder on your back. Our entire brigade is competing – the first time this has been done – to celebrate the 50th anniversary. The event raises money for the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation of NZ. We’d very much appreciate any sponsorship from the village. We have a fund raising web-site at http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/Greenhithe50thAnniversaryTeam/

Also http://www.greenhithe.org.nz/portal/content/greenhithe-volunteer-fire-brigade-50th-anniversary-open-day.html/

Here are some safety tips from Energy Safety for buying and using Christmas lights.

Don't buy or use Christmas lights (or other electronic goods) that:

• Do not have the normal plug you would use at home.
• Are supplied with a travel adaptor to fit the socket outlet.
• Have a cord that extends up (rather than down) from the plug or a plug with no covering insulation extending half way up two it the plug pins.

When using lights:

• Connect your lights to a Residual Current Device (RCD) or an isolating transformer.
• The RCD will turn the power off when things go wrong, reducing the risk of a fatal electric shock. If you don't own a RCD already, you can buy one from any hardware or electronic store.
• Check all lights – both old and new – for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. If you are unsure about their safety, have them checked by a licensed electrical worker.
• Replace bulbs with ones of the same voltage and wattage. The wrong bulbs could cause overheating and start a fire. Always switch off and unplug light strings before replacing bulbs.
• Turn off all Christmas lights when you go to bed or leave the house. If the lights develop a fault, they could start a fire.
• A tingling sensation is usually a warning of danger. If you get a tingle from your lights or something touching them (e.g. Christmas decorations on the tree (inside), the house down pipe (outside)), turn the lights off immediately and get them checked by a licensed electrical worker.

Using Christmas Lights Outside

If you are using Christmas lights outside follow the above advice and also:

• Check labels to make sure that they are suitable for outside use, and read all instructions carefully before installing your lights.
• Clean the outside of your house before installing the lights. Spider webs, leaves and any other debris are a potential fire hazard.
• Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls or other firm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Use specially insulated clips to hold them in place and mount them out of reach.