Celebrating the heroes who help keep our communities safe
When you’re a firefighter out on a call it’s essential to know someone in the brigade has got your back, but it’s also handy knowing someone is supporting you back at the office.
Steve Gee and Jono Turnbull are volunteer firefighters who both work at Connetics (Southern) Ltd in Cromwell, a network contractor that specialises in power installations and maintenance.
While they’re with different brigades - Gee is chief fire officer for Clyde and Turnbull is a recruit for Cromwell - and have very different roles within the business, they say having a co-worker who understands their dual roles is critical.
They’re grateful to work for a company that understands the importance of their role and values their commitment to the community.
Gee and Turnbull are two of the nearly 12,000 Kiwis who volunteer for Fire and Emergency New Zealand and are ready to respond in a crisis.
Their ability to do that depends on workplaces who are willing to be part of the back-up crew.
Stuff’s community newspapers are partnering with Fire and Emergency to recognise the local businesses who support this important work with the Proud Employer mark, which acknowledges the role they play in keeping communities safe by allowing their staff to respond to an incident during working hours.
“The company is very supportive of the community input that Jono has in Cromwell and I have in Clyde,” says Gee.
With his job based in Cromwell, Gee is less likely to be called out during the day, but says volunteering for Fire and Emergency constantly requires juggling responsibilities between his work and home lives. However, he says volunteering is more than worth it.
“People often ask me why I’m involved with Fire and Emergency. It’s because I have a genuine interest and It’s something I can do to give back to the community. There’s also a lot of value in terms of your own personal development. I treat it as a sport, a hobby and a whole lot of other things rolled into one. It keeps me fit, it keeps the brain active, and it keeps me grounded.”
Turnbull volunteered for mountain rescue in the UK and was keen to continuing volunteering in some capacity when he moved to New Zealand. He was thrilled to be accepted as a recruit with the Clyde Brigade.
“It’s a fantastic thing to be involved in,” he says.
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.2% Yes
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46.8% No
A riddle to start the festive season 🌲🎁🌟
I'm a fruit. If you take away my first letter, I'm a crime. If you take away my first two letters, I'm an animal. If you take away my first and last letter, I'm a form of music. What am I?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
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Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
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