A man who dedicated 22 and a half years out of 25 to serving the community in Katikati Volunteer Fire Brigade visited at the weekend to accept the ultimate firefighting honour – his gold star.

Brendan Gibbs, wife Sally and family were welcomed into Katikati Volunteer Fire Brigade’s honours night at the station on October 31 with a guard of honour of firefighters from Ōmokoroa, Katikati, Mayor View and Waihī brigades.

Representatives from Fire and Emergency New Zealand, the United Fire Brigades’ Association (UFBA), the Auckland Provincial Fire Brigades Association (APFBA), Gibbs’ new brigade at Hāwera and local dignitaries also attended.

Gibbs was known affectionately as ‘Father Ted’ by the Katikati brigade since he joined on July 7, 2001, as he was also Katikati’s St Peter’s Anglican Church reverend for 25 years while living here.

Gibbs left Katikati’s brigade as station officer and transferred to Hāwera Volunteer Fire Brigade to be a senior firefighter in June 2023. However, after discovering he had a medical condition, Gibbs switched to fire support, which he still does.

Surprised

Asked how he felt about achieving 25 years in the fire service, Gibbs said he was surprised.

“I didn’t join the fire service to get medals or recognition. I did it to serve the community,” he told Katikati News.

“They talk about the 3-year certificate … a lot of firefighters don’t last three years, especially today because people are very transient. Once you’ve done the three years and then get your 5-year medal, the years just fly by. So I was a bit surprised that I’m still here. But I love it, and the fire brigade becomes like a second family in some ways.”

Gibbs said meeting people had kept him in the brigade.

“Not just the people you’re working with, but the victims as well. You’re able to offer a bit of hope and encouragement.

Katikati firefighter Brendan Gibbs pictured in 2016, when he was also the vicar at St Peter's Anglican Church. Photo / NZME

“When someone’s trapped in a vehicle or something happens and there’s someone for them; they can see people are doing their best to get them out of their situation. Even in a house fire sometimes people who own the home will come and talk to you.

“There’s a lot of trust put in firefighters.”

Being a reverend and volunteer firefighter had helped Gibbs with both roles, he said.

“I’ve always believed that belonging to non-church organisations, for a minister, keeps you in touch with where people are at. Otherwise you become insular because you’re working with the same group of people,” Gibbs said.

“God wants to touch their hearts as much as he wants to touch church people’s hearts. In fact, probably more so, God wants to reach out to those people in the community who are yet to know him. So yeah, the two complement each other very, very much and I’ve been able to offer spiritual support for people who’ve asked for it.”

Tough callouts

It hasn’t all been easy. Gibbs said one of his first fatal callouts was to a vehicle collision and he knew the woman well.

“She’d been hit by a drug addict who was high as a kite, and we couldn’t do anything for her. St John couldn’t do anything for her, so I just sat with her as she died and just prayed for her. That was pretty tough.”

Gibbs was the officer in charge when five Tongans were killed in a collision outside Aongatete packhouse, and when Katikati Caltex caught fire.

In his early years, the packhouse fire – behind what’s now ITM – burned for two days.

“It was the old cheese factory, and they built a packhouse inside and it had a big electrical fault. When it caught fire we couldn’t put it out because they couldn’t turn the power off.”

Half the town went dark so firefighters could fight the fire.

“It was fully involved and because the refrigerated building was inside the old cheese factory, it had two layers of roof and you couldn’t get the water in easily. The kiwifruit was popping like popcorn.”

Brendan’s helmet was swiped by Katikati brigade and redecorated with a photo of his Katikati church for his Gold Star ceremony. Photo / Merle Cave

Gibbs said multiple brigades attended the fire and the community rallied around them. “Countdown provided a whole lot of cooked chooks, people made sandwiches and they really looked after all the brigades, fed and watered us.”

At the presentation, UFBA immediate past president Lesina Walden awarded Gibbs his gold star.

“Brendan has experienced plenty of change. The equipment has changed, technology has changed, and the way we communicate has changed and no doubt the way the fire service itself has changed considerably.

“But one thing that hasn’t changed – the need for people who are prepared to put their hand up and serve their community and run and put the wet stuff on the hot stuff.

“Twenty-five years is a long time to take that commitment – it represents countless hours of training. Callouts, meetings, community events. Brendan your Gold Star is a reflection of the many people and communities who’ve been part of on your journey.”

She also acknowledged his wife Sally for supporting Brendan to be a firefighter.

“We know many dinners go cold.”

Western Bay Mayor James Denyer said Gibbs’ ethos was about service “and he’s done so much for our community”.

Denyer said Gibbs’ Gold Star showed one part of the huge amount of service he’d given to Katikati, including 12 years on Katikati Community Board.

“He’s been involved with so many organisations I don’t where to start … Hāwera is very lucky to have you.”

Brendan Gibbs addressed the crowd at Katikati Volunteer Fire Brigade’s honours night, where they watched him receive his gold star. Photo / Merle Cave

Gibbs said he’d been involved with St John Ambulance for many years before moving to Katikati.

“I went down to the station and in those days you had to write a letter and they decided whether they’d accept you or not. I was introduced as the local minister and one man … Gavin [Amrein] said: ‘Ah, Father Ted!’ And it stuck!”

Over the years he’d been rung by fire service staff in Auckland asking for Father Ted for a fatal callout requiring pastoral assistance.

‘Thank you’

“I just wanted to say a big ‘thank you’ to those who put me in my role. The chief at the time was Victor Larkin and he was a very colourful person but a very good teacher. We had some wonderful training under him.

“Also, a big ‘thank you’ to all past and present members. One of the things about joining a fire brigade is you inherit a whole new family. Shifting to Hāwera was not an easy move for me. I’ve missed my family here.”

Brendan Gibbs and wife Sally walk through a guard of honour into Katikati Fire station. Photo / Merle Cave

Gibbs thanked Sally and family for their support and the team at Katikati St Peter’s who had supported him joining the brigade.

Katikati brigade’s chief fire officer Craig Gray gifted a restored 1955 fire extinguisher to Gibbs, and his old Katikati helmet redesigned to read ‘Father Ted’ with a photo of St Peter’s Anglican Church on it.

*Next week Katikati News will report on former Katikati chief Joe Manukau retiring from the brigade and his career at Katikati College.