Long Service Award recipients
The CDEM for Long Service is presented for at least ten years CDEM service at the local or national level.
2021 recipients
21 Years
Sandra Bee
Sandra has been involved in emergency management in Hawke’s Bay for over 20 years as an influential Emergency Management Advisor for the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board. During this time, she has been an active contributor to the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group and is a long term member of the Hawke’s Bay Emergency Services Coordinating Committee. She has been a strong advocate for pandemic planning prior to and during COVID-19 and continues to be a leading representative of emergency management in Hawke’s Bay region.
Shane Briggs
Shane has responded to numerous local incidents and some of New Zealand’s largest emergencies. He has deployed twice to Australia flooding, including leading the NZ delegation of response volunteers. Shane was an original member of the NZ Response Team Steering Committee. He has received the Canterbury Earthquake Citation and the Queensland Flood and Cyclone Citation. In 2012, he received a Kiwibank Local Hero Award for expanding emergency response capabilities in the Manawatu. Shane has worked at local and regional levels as a Group Controller and manager of the Taranaki CDEM Group. He has also applied his emergency management knowledge to business continuity planning for government departments.
Lynda Burdekin
Lynda has been involved in Civil Defence in Canterbury for over twenty years. She has been involved in numerous exercises and emergencies with the Christchurch City Council CDEM volunteer team. This included the Canterbury earthquakes, where like many in Christchurch she found herself on both sides of the disaster, as a victim and working in the Civil Defence team at the same time. She was also involved in the Port Hills fire, tsunami evacuations, flooding events, and the Kaikoura earthquake, flying in by helicopter to assist the Kaikoura locals.
Eric Newman
After an extensive career with the New Zealand Police, Eric left the force in 1999. Very soon after that he was contracted by the joint Emergency Operations Centre of the Western Bay of Plenty District and Tauranga City Councils, known as the WEOC to carry out a risk management exercise for the upcoming Y2K issue. In January 2000 he became Lead Controller for the WEOC. They tell me Eric is known for his calm and effective, positive leadership style.
Geoff Olds
Geoff has more than twenty years with the Christchurch City Council’s CDEM volunteer team. Over this time Geoff has been involved in lots of training and exercises, including the Port Hills Fire, Canterbury and Kaikoura earthquakes. Geoff is known for always demonstrating camaraderie, solidarity, team spirit, trust, loyalty and compassion for others - often in the face of stress, discomfort and personal cost.
Gregory Phillips
Greg joined the Capital & Coast DHB Emergency Management Service in May 1997 where for most of his tenure he has been the service leader. His duties have focused on coordinating the development of the DHB’s emergency plans, providing a programme of staff training and emergency exercises, responding to emergencies on hospital sites and the wider health sector including the Canterbury earthquakes in 2011 and the H1N1 pandemic in 2009. He has represented the DHB on the Coordinating Executive Group and Emergency Services Coordinating Committee. Before joining Capital & Coast DHB, Greg spent 20 years serving with ambulance services in Wellington, Taranaki, and the Manawatu-Whanganui regions, holding the ranks of Superintendent and Chief Ambulance Officer.
Elizabeth Smith
Elizabeth’s service to emergency management began in 2000 as a volunteer for the Palmerston North Rescue Emergency Support Team. Since then she has made significant contributions to emergency management in the Manawatu, Tarakanaki and now in Wellington where she is an Emergency Management Advisor at WREMO. Elizabeth also plays as a key role coordinating the Wellington region’s New Zealand Response Team and contributing to the National NZRT Project Steering Group.
Graeme Tilsley
Graeme joined the North Shore Initial Response Unit in 1998 and has remained an active member ever since. He has provided volunteer response services to the Auckland and the New Zealand community for the last 20 years. He has been deployed across the country for multiple emergency responses. We’re told Graeme diligently attends team training every week, along with assisting with weekend courses and public education days throughout the year.
Kane Turner
Kane joined the North Shore emergency management whānau in 1995 when the group operated as the North Shore Initial Response Unit and has previously held the position of Deputy Team Leader with Response Team 5. He has been deployed to provide response services around the country for incidents such as the Christchurch Earthquakes, Edgecumbe Fires, and as part of the national COVID-19 Response.
Tim Chiswell
Tim has an extensive background in humanitarian response in New Zealand and overseas. Between 1998 and 2008 he worked for Caritas International helping them fulfil their domestic and regional preparedness and disaster response roles. He has spent the last 13 years working on health emergency management within St John at regional and national level. This has included the development of enhanced mass casualty response capability, as well as planning and operational roles in a range of responses. In 2020 Tim was appointed to the Emergency Management Assistance Team Cadre.
30 Years
Peter Brownbridge
Peter has been a key support to Rotorua Lakes Council’s civil defence team for many years, since 1993 Pete has performed most roles within council’s Incident Management Team. He has undertaken the roles of Emergency Response Manager, Logistics Manager, Planning and Intel manager, Operations and Welfare. Pete was Incident Manager for the NZ-15 response team during the Christchurch earthquakes coordinating deployment, and as primary liaison for Council. Pete continues to use his technical communications expertise to support council with emergency VHF radio communication systems.
Bryan Craig
Bryan has volunteered since 1988 and has been deployed to multiple large-scale events across New Zealand, including the most recent COVID-19 Welfare Response activity. He has also been present at many of the localised incidents such as major weather events.
As well as providing volunteer response services to the Auckland and wider New Zealand community, Bryan is extremely active at all community education activations and takes a lead during the weekly Radio Transmitter training sessions. Bryan is a leader amongst his peers and is always willing to share his knowledge, skills and experience with everyone he works with.
Graham Ferguson
Graham received both a 20-year and a 30-year award at the Emergency Management Awards Dinner. Graham has held public health and health emergency management roles in Auckland Regional Public Health Service and St John. He has led multiple projects and responses that have enhanced the health sector capacity to respond to CDEM emergencies.
Duane Gorst
Duane has been a stalwart member of Response Team 5 in Auckland. He initially began as a volunteer with the North Shore Initial Response Unit in March 1989 and has now provided volunteer response services to the Auckland and the New Zealand community for the last 30 years. Duane has been involved in local and national deployments. He frequently attends team training, weekend courses and public education days. Duane has held various positions throughout his time with Civil Defence including as Team Leader between 2011 and 2017. He’s a valued member of the Response Team and is respected by all of those that work alongside him.
Lesley Harrison
Lesley started with Civil Defence in 1991, recruited from the Bay View woman's institute and serving much of her career as the Bay View Centre manager. Highlights of her service include being the first to arrive and set up the CDC at Napier Intermediate for the Napier Siege event in 2009. Lesley continues to contribute to the 1931 Earthquake survivor’s afternoon tea; weekly radio checks, and proactively seeks opportunities to further her education; being only a few papers away from getting her degree in emergency management!
Peter Ide
Peter started Civil Defence Volunteering for Napier City Council in 1984 and has spent many years diligently attending trainings and exercises, including mass casualty exercises at the airport, having to navigate his way out of a pitch black firebox room. Peter was front and center during flooding and slips on the Napier Hill in 2011 and also worked in many other events, including the Napier Seige, Napier Taupo Highway snow closure of 2015, and the Napier floods last year. A regular, experienced, calming, and positive presence at training evenings, the Hawke's Bay Civil Defence Group is incredibly grateful to have Peter as part of the team.
Phillip Martelli
Phillip’s involvement in emergency management stretches back to 1991 during which time he has been involved in a number of events where the Western Bay of Plenty Emergency Operations Centre was activated. Phillip has taken up the role of EOC Manager and Alternate Controller with a steady ease which has lead the team to a positive outcome through numerous events. He has mentored and trained staff along the way to grow in their EOC roles and inspires staff with his confidence, strong leadership abilities and his vast expert knowledge in the districts diverse communities.
Peter McCarthy
Peter has made an enormous contribution to civil defence emergency management and the wellbeing of the communities he has served for 30+ years. He first became involved with civil defence emergency management in 1989 and served during significant emergency events including the Christchurch 2011 earthquake and the 2017 Whakatane severe weather event/ Edgecumbe flood. Peter has participated in multiple civil defence exercises throughout the North Island, was a key member during the accreditation process for NZRT-16, continues to serve as Team/ Deputy Team Leader for NZRT-16, has supported numerous NZ Police Search and Rescue operations, and provided medical coverage at multiple public events.
Michael Nixon
Michael is receiving both a 20 year and a 30-year award this evening. Michael started in Heathcote Valley School whereas chairman of the school board put his hand up to be warden when nobody else wanted to do it. He has been volunteering in Canterbury since 1989 as part of the Christchurch City Council’s Linwood Team. He has been involved in many exercise and emergencies including the Canterbury and Kaikoura earthquakes, Port Hills fire and many floods’ events.
Christine Tatterson
Christine joined the Christchurch City Council light rescue team in 1988 and has undertaken many exercises and trainings including in confined space under the civic offices in Tuam Street, light rescue at the QEII complex and abseiling from the tops of many buildings in Christchurch that are no longer in existence. Christine achieved her assessor qualification and has been involved in Emergency Operations Centre staff training. She ran the three rescue volunteer teams for Christchurch City Council in the 2000s and stayed on as a volunteer until retiring in October 2019.
Melvern Wainwright
Melvern has undertaken active voluntary service as part of New Zealand Response Team 16 – Tauranga. He has made an enormous contribution to emergency management and the wellbeing of the communities he has served for more than 30 years. He has participated in significant emergencies including the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the 2017 Whakatane sever weather event/ Edgecumbe flood, alongside participation in multiple civil defence exercises throughout the North Island. He has supported numerous NZ Police Search and Rescue operations and provided medical coverage at several public events.
Lois Watson
Lois started with Civil Defence in 1987 at which time she was the only non-military volunteer in the comms team. Holding her own in a male dominated environment, Lois went on to become a senior and respected member of the Hawke's Bay comms community not only within Civil Defence, but also across the amateur radio clubs. Lois has worked as the comms manager in several events, most notably the Napier Siege, where she managed the comms room. Lois was also the first person at the EOC at 2am for a flooding event causing a large slip-on Napier Hill, as well as ensuring the team was prepared during a significant gas leak right next to the region's hospital.
Craig Winters
Craig is in active voluntary service as part of New Zealand Response Team 16 – Tauranga. He has made an enormous contribution to civil defence emergency management and the wellbeing of the communities he has served for 30+ years. He served operationally during the Christchurch 2011 earthquake response and has participated in multiple civil defence exercises throughout the North Island. Craig was a key member during the accreditation process for NZRT-16, supported numerous NZ Police Search and Rescue operations, and has provided medical coverage at multiple public events.
Christine Wisnewski
Christine has been a part of CDEM since first starting at Manawatu District Council. She has always been available for training and regularly assists in the upkeep of CDEM. She was active during the 2004 floods doing property inspections for building assessments and assisting on the phones. In the 2015 Manawatu floods, and 2017 Manawatu district snow event she assisted in the Logistics function. Chris also completes weekly checks of the district VHF emergency radio network to ensure it is working correctly.
40 years
Paul Hawke
Paul has made an invaluable contribution to Emergency Management not only in his home area of Hastings/Havelock North, but across New Zealand. He has attended several significant disasters including Thames-Coromandel floods (1981), Te Aroha floods (1985), BoP Earthquake (1987), Cyclone Bola (1988), Ruapehu Eruptions (1995, 1996) and the Lower North Island Floods (2004).
Paul supported the former Ministry of Civil Defence in several areas over his service time including the development of the Civil Defence School and the courses that were designed and delivered there. This included the development of the Rescue Manual and the training of rescue teams, the predecessor of today’s USAR capability. He also assisted with the creation of plans and guidelines for the sector, and the design work for Emergency Operations Centres and systems, prior to the creation of the CIMS framework.
Janine Hawthorn
Janine has been involved in CDEM within the Manawatu-Whanganui region for over forty years. In her first event Janine assisted with the gas leak in Marton in 1980, involving the evacuation of 1500 people, acting as a runner as her father was the Civil Defence Coordinator for the area. She continued to assist and completed training while at Rangitikei County Council. Janine has been in active CDEM service at Manawatu District Council since 1999. Over that time, she has assisted in the 2004 Manawatu floods in Operations, further Manawatu flooding in 2006, in 2011 Christchurch as Welfare Manager assisting with the missing persons line and in the 2015 Manawatu floods as Welfare Manager at both the Manawatu District and Whanganui District Councils. She has assisted at a national level in establishing the needs assessment and registration national working party. She always goes well above and beyond to assist with anything and is a great volunteer.
50 Years
Bernard (Bernie) Haar
Bernie started at the Gore Borough Council as a cadet within the Infrastructure/Asset team in 1971 where there was an expectation that CDEM would be a key part of his role. Initially he was trained to work within the Operations function of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), this involved stop-bank patrols when flooding was expected and feeding this information back into the EOC. As Bernie’s knowledge and skills increased he started to oversee sandbagging and strengthening stress points at times of high flows along the river protection systems.
Bernie was the night shift Controller for the flooding emergency in 1978 that impacted the whole of Southland and resulted in more than 1800 people being evacuated within the Gore Borough. This saw Bernie assuming a more active and leading role within the EOC and CDEM throughout the rest of his career.
In 2002 Bernie shifted to the Mackenzie District Council, while the district has had no formally declared activations, Bernie was endorsed as Controller from the beginning of his tenure. The district has had many minor events, of note was the ‘snow’ of 2006 resulting in the coordination of many agencies across the larger Canterbury area. Bernie has provided a steady hand to the Council, participating in training, exercises and mentoring new staff.
Despite his impending retirement Bernie has no desire to step away from CDEM, intending to retain his involvement in a volunteer capacity.
2018 recipients
Long service awards are presented to individuals who have performed 10 years’, 20 years’, 30 years’ or 40 years' of active service in civil defence emergency management in New Zealand, at either the national or local level.
In 2018 20, 30 and 40 year awards were presented at the National Emergency Management Conference.
The 10 year awards are presented at the Group level.
40 Years
Gary Allis, Western Bay of Plenty CDEM Group
Paul Solitt, Tairawhiti CDEM Group
30 years
John Clarke, Tairawhiti CDEM Group (also received 20 years award)
Christopher Coll, Civil Defence Buller (also received 10 and 20 years awards)
Hal Hovell, Tairawhiti CDEM Group
Ian Hunter, Tairawhiti CDEM Group
20 years
Barbara Dempsey, Whakatāne District Council
Keith Evans, MCDEM
Phillip Martelli, Western Bay of Plenty CDEM Group
Janelle Mackie, Canterbury CDEM Group
Pop Milner, Tairawhiti CDEM Group
James Thompson, Canterbury CDEM Group
Long service awards are presented to individuals who have performed 10 years’, 20 years’, or 30 years’ of active service in civil defence emergency management in New Zealand, at either the national or local level.
In 2017 20 & 30 year awards were presented at the National Emergency Management Conference alongside a posthumous 10 year award.
The 10 year awards are presented at the Group level.
2017 Long Service Awards
- 20 Years’ Long Service Awards:
- Ron White, including the acceptance of his wife’s Helen White’s, posthumous award for 10 Years
- Bryan Craig
- Brian Donaldson
- Peter Donovan
- Duane Gorst
- Brian Heath
- Peter Hector
- Iain Palmer
- 30 Years’ Long Service Awards:
- Shane Bayley
- Roger Broadhurst
- David Fox
- Margaret Rankine
- Allan Wilson
Bay of Plenty
December 2013 New Zealand Response Team 17
| Name (position) | Years of active service to CDEM |
|---|---|
|
Brenda Davis |
16 |
|
Tony Gillard |
21 |
|
Alan Keeper |
28 |
Canterbury
13 August 2014, University of Canterbury Rescue Team
| Name | Years active service to CDEM |
|---|---|
|
Graeme Bull |
37 |
|
Heather Thomas |
36* |
|
Mark Andrews |
26* |
|
Graham Furniss |
26 |
|
Mark Warren |
26 |
|
David van Leeuwen |
14 |
* Includes service with other CDEM organisations
Manukau City
12 October 2009
| Name | Years active service to CDEM |
|---|---|
|
Jack Amoroa |
11 |
|
Richard Baker |
12 |
|
John Baylis |
12 |
|
Wendy Bercich |
14 |
|
Charlene Bloor |
16 |
|
Philip Boardman |
20 |
|
Margaret Brady |
16 |
|
Robyn Brooks |
15 |
|
Tricia Burns |
24 |
|
Fay Crook |
22 |
|
Judy Fowler QSM |
20 |
|
David Gordon |
12 |
|
Marilyn Gordon |
12 |
|
Robyn Greer |
13 |
|
Tony Hopman |
13 |
|
Allan Horner |
15 |
|
Pat Horner |
24 |
|
Mary James |
16 |
|
Jack Jarvis |
11 |
|
Vera Jarvis |
11 |
|
Lois Kemp |
12 |
|
Ron Kemp |
12 |
|
Gordon Kennedy |
15 |
|
Solf Maifea |
13 |
|
Jean Marona |
11 |
|
Charlotte Marsh |
12 |
|
Yvonne Matson QSM |
14 |
|
Janny Meinders |
10 |
|
Joop Meinders |
10 |
|
Ula Moka |
20 |
|
Bernard Moore |
23 |
|
Lis Morch |
16 |
|
Shirley Newby |
10 |
|
Dulcie Peploe |
15 |
|
Mary Pratt |
17 |
|
Maureen Richards |
26 |
|
Stephen Russ |
12 |
|
Suzanne Russ |
11 |
|
Roshni Sidhwa |
11 |
|
Anne Stone |
24 |
|
Pune Tekaa |
17 |
|
Joyce Witten |
16 |
|
Chun-Lien Yeh |
13 |
Napier City
7 December 2009
| Name | Years active service to CDEM |
|---|---|
|
Barry Breen |
18 |
|
Allen Chong |
20 |
|
Tom Dacre |
19 |
|
Leslie Davies |
17 |
|
Merrin Fairless |
19 |
|
Edward Gillespie |
13 |
|
Lesley Harrison |
17 |
|
Peter Ide |
17 |
|
Eric Lamb |
26 |
|
Vernon Nicholas |
17 |
|
Dixie Samuels |
14 |
|
Edward Smith |
18 |
|
Lois Watson |
21 |
|
Harry Verwey |
20 |
|
Dennis Zachan |
24 |
Taranaki
14 December 2009
| Name (position) | Years of active service to CDEM |
|---|---|
|
Greg Banks (volunteer) |
15 |
|
Trish Dent (volunteer) |
10 |
|
Cindy Dobbin (volunteer) |
25 |
|
Wayne Gaudin (volunteer) |
25 |
|
Liz Geraghty (volunteer) |
20 |
|
Jim Hall (volunteer) |
21 |
|
Kathryn Hooper (volunteer) |
12 |
|
Wayne Johns (volunteer) |
28 |
|
Laurie Jorgensen (volunteer) |
21 |
|
David Lean (current Civil Defence Controller) |
32 |
|
David Leask (volunteer) |
40 |
|
David Lilley (volunteer) |
27 |
|
Bruce McCready (volunteer) |
40 |
|
Tarry Martin (volunteer) |
56 |
|
Jill O’Donnell (volunteer) |
20 |
|
Rusty Ritchie (Taranaki Regional Council) |
10 |
|
Jacqui Sinclair (volunteer) |
10 |
|
Roy Symon (volunteer) |
42 |
|
John Thomason (volunteer) |
33 |
|
Anthony Wilson (New Plymouth District Council and current Alternate Controller) |
25 |
|
Lynne Wilson (volunteer) |
16 |
|
Graham Young (South Taranaki District Council and current Alternate Controller) |
10 |
Wellington
7 December 2011
| Name | Years of active service to CDEM |
|---|---|
|
Steve Glassey |
18 |