Kawerau Fireman Celebrated for Fifty Years of Service

Kawerau Fire Brigade showed up to support its longest ever serving fireman last weekend.

Fred Dykes joined the Kawerau Fire Brigade in 1976 where his wife Linda was in the control rooms responding to the brigades in the area. 

The Fire Chief at the time "said to me, maybe I ought to do something useful, you know, sign up, so that's what I've done," Dykes said. 

50 years later, Dykes has represented the brigade alongside his wife at United Fire Brigades Association conferences and Auckland Provincial conferences. 

He is Kawerau Stations' longest serving Fireman and he said his achievement will not be replicated for some considerable time. 

For 30 years he was Officer In Charge for Volunteer Firefighters at the station.

"I was sort of looking after the other guys, but yeah, we had a good team. It's been enjoyable," he said. 

Dykes added that he represented the Eastern Bay internationally at the World Fire Fighter Games.

"We sent a team to Vegas in 1992, and fundraised again in 1994 to go to Perth." 

He said he made friends at those events from Canada, who he is still in touch with. 

"So, you know, you make friends and you never lose them," he said. 

He said the camaraderie and the "good bunch of guys," in Kawerau kept him involved. 

This was on display at the ceremony where Dykes was presented with a 50-year Gold Star Award last weekend. 

The Area Commander, a representative from the United Fire brigades Association and the Mayor joined the Kawerau and surrounding brigades in presenting Dykes with his Medal. 

He said, he was picked up with Lynda, her brother and his wife in a Firetruck before heading to the bowls club.

"There was a piper playing and a guard of honour down both sides and it was just... it put the old teardrops in the eye," he said. 

Alongside the medal, he was presented plaques and a crystal glass display with the words 'firefighter' and his name engraved. 

His wife was also recognised for her service and support of his service with a certificate. 

Fred Dykes being presented his medal by UFBA President Lesina Walden IMAGE: Supplied

He said the support has been overwhelming. 

A post on Facebook about the ceremony has received 77 comments, all thanking Dykes for his service. 

"Seeing the amount of people that sent me wishes and congratulations and all that and I just can't say enough to them," he said. 

Some comments included people who had moved out of the town decades ago, who remembered the impact Dykes made on the community. 

The community support is what makes the Kawerau station unique he said. 

There are four paid positions per shift and volunteers fill the gaps.

He said the volunteers fundraise frequently, which strengthens the community connection.

"I think everybody knows everybody, you know. It's sort of that thing where you're helping each other in the community," he said. 

On top of his work at the brigade, Dykes worked at the local mill and later ran a pest control business. 

Despite now being fully retired, his involvement in the station will continue as he sets his sights on keeping the station's history alive. 

He said he found minutes from 1953 when the brigade started up at it's original site at the mill. 

He is intending to make a scrap book to pass on to the brigade. 

In his spare time he plans to go traveling in his campervan.