Shannon Volunteer Fire Brigade

24/08/2026

Huge congratulations to all those within our brigade that gave up their personal time to attend core courses that form part of being a team. Whether it was a week or the weekend you all play an important role and continue to provide support to our community. Kelvin, Liz, Neil, Kyle well done and congratulations

23/08/2026

🚒🔥 A massive achievement for three of our own! 🔥🚒

A huge congratulations to Neil Corlett, Kyle Kelly and Liz Gosling, three of our Shannon Volunteer Fire Brigade firefighters, on successfully completing and passing their Qualified Firefighter Course in Rotorua.

They’ve spent a full-on week away from home, undertaking intense, hands-on physical training and being put through their paces from start to finish.

The course covered a huge range of skills and scenarios, including live-fire training 🔥, Hazmat ☣️, working around helicopters 🚁, firefighting operations and practical emergency scenarios — all preparing them for the many different situations they could face when the call comes.

What makes it even more impressive is that Neil, Kyle and Liz do this as volunteers. They’ve given up a week of their own time, away from home and their usual commitments, to gain these skills so they can come back and put them to use for Shannon and our wider community.

There’s a lot of hard work, training and commitment behind becoming a qualified firefighter that most people never get to see.

Neil, Kyle and Liz — bloody awesome effort! Qualification well and truly earned. 👏🔥🚒

We’re incredibly proud to have you as part of the Shannon Volunteer Fire Brigade, giving your time and skills to help our community when it matters most. ❤️

16/08/2026

🎶 With the coming SVFB Centenary next year we’re looking for a new theme tune. Tell us what you think 😉

11/08/2026

👀

🔥 WHO DESERVES TO BE NZ’S VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE OF THE YEAR? 🔥

Every day, volunteer fire brigades across Aotearoa show up for their communities — any time, every time.

They’re there when the siren sounds 🚨 but their contribution goes far beyond emergency response. They visit our schools, support local events, lend a hand when times are tough and help make our communities stronger.

Now it’s your turn to show up for them ❤️

To celebrate International Volunteer Year 2026, the UFBA has launched our Brigade of the Year 2026 campaign, and we want to hear what makes your local volunteer fire brigade special.

💬 Tell us their story.
Maybe they go above and beyond for your community.
Maybe they’ve been there for you or someone you know.
Maybe they have incredible team spirit.
Or maybe you simply want to acknowledge all the times they’ve shown up for you and your community.

📅 Nominations close Sunday 11 October.

🏆 Three brigades will be named Brigade of the Year 2026 for the Small, Medium and Large Brigade categories and receive a trophy and vouchers to support the brigade and its members. The winners will be announced at the UFBA's Conference Hui on 25 October.

👉 Full details including the nomination form and terms and conditions are available on the UFBA’s website: https://www.ufba.org.nz/brigade-of-the-year-2026

07/08/2026

🚨 YOU HEAR THE SIRENS.

You wonder where they’re going.

You watch the lights disappear down the road.

Ever wondered what it would be like to be one of the people heading there? 🚒

Being a volunteer firefighter isn’t for everyone.

But maybe it’s for you.

It’s getting out of bed when most people are staying in it.
It’s turning up when someone in your community needs help.
It’s learning transferrable skills like teamwork, leadership, first aid, and a host of other practical things.
It’s working hard, having a laugh, and being part of a team that looks after its own.

🎓 NZQA-accredited training at Levels 2 & 3
🇳🇿 Training opportunities around New Zealand
💼 Courses with support for work absences
💪 No upper age limit — just be healthy enough for the role
🧰 Roles to suit different abilities and strengths
🤝 A great team and a community that needs you

There’ll be some late nights.
There’ll be hard work.
There’ll be plenty of training.

But there’ll also be the satisfaction of knowing you showed up when it mattered.

You hear the sirens.

Next time, ask yourself:

Why couldn’t I be one of them?

🚒 Shannon Volunteer Fire Brigade
Neighbours helping neighbours. That’s the Hanana way.

👉 Come along. Have a chat. See if it’s for you.

7PM Mondays - Vogel St station
Hear the Siren - Join the team

04/08/2026

Are you planning a burn on your property? Let us know first! 🔥

Whether you are in an open season or you have a fire permit, letting us know when you plan to burn can reduce unnecessary call outs for our crews.
By using this simple online tool and notifying us of your burn:
✅ Our 111 Dispatchers know there is a planned burn in the area.
✅ Calls from the public reporting this fire can be cross-checked with what we know is happening in the area.
✅Our teams can check in with the landowner to make sure their burn is still safe and under control.
✅ It reduces unnecessary call outs for our crews keeping them available for emergencies instead of turning up at your fire.

So, before you light your fire, remember to let us know first at https://www.firepermit.nz/fenz/Default.aspx or by calling 0800 336 922 (0800 FENZ CALL)

04/08/2026

Our team were also out at Shannon Volunteer Brigade last night. Great team there, well done!

03/08/2026

Smoke alarms. They’re in our homes, they criticise our cooking, and most importantly, they save lives. But have you ever wondered how they actually work?

Most modern smoke alarms - and ones we recommend, use a photoelectric sensor. Inside the alarm is a small beam of light and a sensor that sits out of the light’s path.

When the air is clear, the light never reaches the sensor. But when smoke enters the alarm, the smoke particles fracture the light, causing some of it to hit the sensor. When there is enough interference from smoke, and more light reaches the sensor, that then triggers the alarm to sound.

However, this is also how false alarms can happen. If enough dust particles build up inside the sensing chamber, that can interfere with the light beam in the same way smoke does and trigger the alarm.

That's why keeping your smoke alarms clean is so important.
✅ Vacuum your smoke alarms regularly using a soft brush attachment.
✅ Keep them free from dust, cobwebs, and insects.
✅ Test them monthly to make sure they're working.
✅ Replace the entire alarm when it reaches the end of its service life (usually 10 years).

A clean smoke alarm is a reliable smoke alarm. By taking a few minutes to maintain yours, you'll reduce nuisance alarms and help ensure it works when you need it most.

After all, the smoke alarm that goes off during burnt toast today could be the one that saves your life tomorrow.

Take a moment today to check your smoke alarms. Are they clean, tested, and ready to protect your whānau?
https://www.fireandemergency.nz/home-fire-safety/smoke-alarms/

31/07/2026