Stuart Hansen likes to put “wet stuff on hot stuff” in his role as a volunteer firefighter.
The Moore Markhams Auckland and Christchurch senior audit manager has been a member of the Devonport Volunteer Fire Brigade for the past three years and sees it as a great way to give back to his community.
During the Covid-enforced ‘working from home’ times over the past two years, Stuart has occasionally ‘made the truck’ for a daytime callout but generally his 18-strong volunteer brigade backs up the full-time crews based at the Devonport fire station during the nights, weekends and public holidays.
There’s great camaraderie between the permanent staff ‘perms’ and the volunteers ‘vollies’, with combined skills training on Monday nights and physical fitness sessions. Collectively, the firefighters get called out to motor vehicle accidents, fire alarms (many times false alarms), extreme weather events and, of course, the ‘hot stuff’, fires.
The brigade is also a co-first responder with St John for the Devonport community for medical assists. This utilises Stuart’s skills well as for 10 years before joining Moore Markhams, he was a paramedic working full-time and as a volunteer around the North Island, including Auckland.
“I wanted to keep up my medical skills as well as use my knowledge and expertise to help my community,” says Stuart. “It was one of my reasons for joining the brigade.”
Another driver to join up, was to meet more of the locals. Stuart moved to Auckland nine years ago and joined wife Amber in her ‘hometown’ of Devonport. With both working full-time, they’ve found the brigade a great way to be part of the community.
“We have met some great people through the brigade and made friends who are ready and willing to help us out and we’re there for them too.”
Craig Hemphill, Moore Markhams Auckland director says the firm is proud of the contribution Stuart makes to his community and happy to support his endeavours. “We want our people to have balanced lives with interests outside of work that round them out and give them satisfaction.”