Glenn Anderson, right, with wife Christie and daughter Charlotte, two, at Te Awamutu Fire Station. Photo: Jeremy Smith
Te Awamutu’s Glenn Anderson is to be honoured for achieving 25 years in the fire service – and will be awarded his Gold Star at a celebratory gathering on Saturday.
His quarter of a century’s service includes six years with Rotorua Volunteer Fire Brigade, and 19 with the Te Awamutu brigade.
The presentation will take place at Te Awamutu Fire Station, where Glenn’s firefighting colleague Colin Munro also received the accolade in July.
The evening also doubles as the Te Awamutu brigade’s annual awards night.
Glenn’s time in the brigade in Te Awamutu is somewhat of a family affair.
He and his wife Christie – who have been married for five years – met while they were both firefighters in the Te Awamutu brigade.
Christie has been a volunteer fire fighter in Te Awamutu for 12 years, and the couple’s two-year-old daughter Charlotte gets to observe mum and dad serving their community.
A senior station officer, Glenn described the brigade as “incredibly special”.
“I really value the camaraderie we have. You never set out to reach 25 years, but they just roll by.”
Glenn said roles in the fire brigade aren’t possible without “fantastic support” from family, other firefighters and, importantly he said, employers who allow staff to attend calls.
A truck driver by trade, Glenn said the balancing act of life keeps him busy on all fronts at times “but you make it work.”
He said he has noticed a number of changes in his time in the brigade, which now has nearly 40 firefighters.
Not least of those is increasing number of calls the brigade gets each year – just over 380 were logged last year, to date in 2023 there have been 327.
“It’s certainly got a lot busier over the years as Te Awamutu has grown.”
Christie beamed with pride as she and Glenn spoke with The News on Monday.
“The fire brigade is obviously a big part of our lives and I think Glenn’s achi evement is wonderful – I absolutely admirehis dedication.”
“I think it’s important to make a positive difference to our community,” Glenn said.
“If I was ever in a position where I needed help somehow one day myself, I would hope someone would be there for me.
“With that in mind, I want to be here for others.”
One of the opportunities Glenn said he has enjoyed taking part in over the years through the Te Awamutu brigade is the annual Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge.
In fact, in the last two decades the event – held to raise funds, and awareness for, Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand – has been running, Glenn reckons he has been part of 17 of them.
The challenge sees teams race 328m up Auckland Sky Tower’s 51 flights of stairs – or 1103 individual steps – in full firefighting kit weighing 25kg.
In May, Te Awamutu firefighters fundraised what’s thought to be
its biggest total in the brigade’s 18-year association with the climb – receiving $25,814 in donations.
Additionally, 10 members of the 19-person team also achieved top 10 placings in their respective divisions.
“I enjoy the challenge, it supports a wonderful cause, and its good training to keep the fitness up too,” Glenn said.
