Patumahoe Volunteer Fire Brigade

11/04/2026

With Cyclone Vaianu approaching our area, we want our Patumahoe community to know that your local Volunteer Fire Brigade is prepared and ready to respond whenever needed.

While many may think of us for just fires, our role goes far beyond that. We attend to a wide range of emergencies including storm damage like lifting roofs, fallen trees, flooding in homes and buildings, motor vehicle accidents, medical calls, and even large animal rescues.

Our crews are trained to handle all types of situations and are ready to respond to whatever comes our way, at any time.

Please take care, look after one another, check on the elderly and stay safe as this weather event bears down on us.

Also remember to never drive through flood waters. They can be unpredictable and unsafe.

Remember, we are always only a 111 call away and never hesitate to call for help if you need it.
👩‍🚒👩‍🚒🚒🚒

12/03/2026

The Patumahoe Volunteer Fire Brigade is taking on the challenge of climbing the Skytower in May. We need your help to help us raise important funds for Blood Cancer New Zealand.

Any donation either big or small makes a difference.

If you would like to donate to our team please click the link below. Thank you for your support! 🚒🩸

Please support my Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge

01/03/2026

Our friends down at Amberly Volunteer Fire Brigade wrote the below and it's bang on the money 💯👨‍🚒🤣

🚨 This pretty much sums up our reality… 😅 🚨

Next time you hear the siren, here’s a little insight into what happens behind the scenes before that truck rolls out of the station to you…
📢🚒 The siren goes!
We’re all in various stages of everyday life when it happens.
☕ Mid-cuppa? Down it goes.
🍽 Just sat down to dinner after a long day? Sorry family…
🏢 At work? “Can someone cover me?” “Will the boss roll their eyes at ANOTHER callout?” 😬
🏠 At home with the kids?
Quick — call the neighbour? Drop them to Nana? Aunty? Uncle? 👦👧
Did I turn the stove off? 🤔
👖 What am I wearing?
Jeans under Level 2 gear? Not ideal… things get HOT 🔥
🧦 Got the right socks? (You learn this the hard way.)
🚗 Jump in the car — who else is responding?
Do we have a crew?
Do we have a driver?
Arrive at station.
Gear on.
Truck started.
👩‍🚒👨‍🚒 And we’re off.
Now the questions start running through our heads…
What’s the job?
🔥 Fire?
🚗 Crash?
🚨 Alarm activation?
🩺 Medical call?
How big?
How long will we be out?
When did I last eat?
Did I actually turn the stove off…?
Sometimes we spend longer finding the address than we do at the job.
💧 START HYDRATING.
We get hot 🥵
We get sweaty 😓
We get dirty.
Sometimes we’re done in 30 minutes.
Sometimes we’re there for 7 hours.
Some jobs stay with you longer than others.
Then it’s back to station.
Clean gear.
Restock the truck.
Reset everything so we’re ready to do it all again.
And finally… 🏠
Cold dinner/breakfast 🍔
Kids to collect 👦👧
Very necessary shower 🚿
Very welcoming bed 🛏
Sometimes it’s only for a couple of hours before the pager goes again.
Sometimes it’s up for work with tired eyes 👀 and aching muscles… and then back on shift for the community.
That’s volunteer life.
That’s what happens when the siren sounds.

We are your neighbours.
We are your workmates.
And we are here for you. ❤️

27/02/2026

A huge thank you to our amazing supporters who are helping bring our Firefighters 24 Hour Stair Climb Marathon to life

The Patumahoe and Waiau Pa Volunteer Fire Brigades would like to give a special shoutout to Be Seen Billboards for supplying the mobile billboard trailers and printing. Your support is helping us get the word out in a big way!

We also want to thank Ray White Patumahoe and Wallace Heron ENZED Pukekohe for generously allowing us to park the trailers at your sites. We truly appreciate your backing of our cause.

Keep an eye out for the trailers around town and come down to Pak’nSave Pukekohe on March 7th and 8th to support the team as we take on the 24 Hour Stair Climb Marathon in support of Blood Cancer NZ 🧑‍🚒

Together, we are making a difference!

22/02/2026

🔥 Stronger together. Climbing for a cause that matters. 🔥

The crews from Patumahoe and Waiau Pa Volunteer Fire Brigades are proud to be joining forces as we take on the Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge, raising vital funds for Blood Cancer New Zealand.

Before the big climb, we are bringing the challenge to the community.

💪 24 Hour Stair Climb Marathon
📍 PAK’nSAVE Pukekohe
📅 7th & 8th March 2026
⏰ 8am to 8pm (both days)

For two full days, firefighters will be climbing non stop, simulating the intensity of the Sky Tower challenge. The gear is heavy. The heat is real. The fatigue builds quickly. But the reason behind every step is bigger than all of it.

💛 The impact so far

Patumahoe Volunteer Fire Brigade has raised an incredible $218,000 over the past 4 years

Waiau Pa Volunteer Fire Brigade has contributed $8,800 this year alone

Together, that’s a combined total of $226,800 raised for this cause

💥 What’s been achieved along the way

2023
🥇 1st Place Class 2 (6 to 9 members)
🥇 1st Place Supreme Fundraising Brigade – $72,300
🥇 Highest Individual Fundraiser – Harley Baker ($40,001)

2024
🥈 2nd Place Supreme Fundraising Brigade – $78,478
🥈 Highest Individual Fundraiser – Harley Baker ($52,011)

2025
🥉 3rd Place Large Brigade Fundraising (10+) – $44,164
🥇 Highest Individual Fundraiser – Harley Baker ($25,055)
🥉 3rd Place Speed Awards – 12 minutes 17 seconds (Roel Ermens)

Across New Zealand, firefighters have raised millions of dollars through the Sky Tower Challenge, helping support patients and families facing blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. From treatment support to research and care services, this fundraising makes a real difference where it’s needed most.

This is more than a physical challenge.
It’s about standing alongside those in the fight of their lives.

Come down, show your support, and be part of something bigger.
Every donation helps. Every step counts.

"The shortcut to success is closed, so we’ll take the stairs, one honest step at a time. With integrity as our guide, we climb together — empowering each other to reach the top."
-Harley Baker

25/01/2026

Standing with Mount Maunganui and Papamoa👩‍🚒👩‍🚒

The Patumahoe Volunteer Fire Brigade sends our deepest aroha and support to everyone impacted by the tragic events in Mount Maunganui and Papamoa.

To our fellow emergency service whānau at Fire and Emergency NZ, USAR, St John Ambulance, and New Zealand Police. We see the immense effort, the long hours, and the emotional weight you are carrying. Please know you are not alone and you have the backing of brigades across the country.

We also want to acknowledge the members of the public who stepped in during the early moments. Your bravery and willingness to help in such confronting circumstances reflects the very best of our communities.

To the families and loved ones who have lost someone. There are no words that can ease this pain. Please know that the wider emergency services family is grieving with you and holding you close in our thoughts.

To our fellow responders and to anyone in the community struggling after these events.
It is okay to not be okay.
Please reach out, talk to someone, and lean on the support that is available.

If you need to talk:
Free call or text 1737 any time to speak with a trained counsellor
Lifeline Crisis Helpline: 0800 543 354

Kia kaha, Mount Maunganui and Papamoa.
You are in our thoughts and we stand with you. ❤️👩‍🚒

31/12/2025

🔥 Happy New Year from the Patumahoe Volunteer Fire Brigade 🔥

As we roll into a new year, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on what has been a huge and busy 2025 for our brigade.

In 2025 we responded to 185 callouts, including
🚑 63 medical responses
🏠 32 structure fires
🌿 19 vegetation fires
🔥 19 miscellaneous fires
🚨 27 alarm activations
🌧 10 weather related events
🚗 10 motor vehicle accidents
🧯 3 rescues
⚗️ 2 hazardous substance incidents

Behind those numbers is a team that has worked incredibly hard all year. Alongside our regular weekly Monday trainings, our members achieved some outstanding milestones, with
👨‍🚒 Recruits becoming Firefighters
👨‍🚒 Firefighters becoming Qualified Firefighters
👨‍🚒 Senior Firefighter qualifying as Officer Qualified
🚒 Members also completed their Light Emergency Response drivers course, Pump Operators course for our main pump, and Chainsaw operator courses

We also had another massive year with our Firefighter Sky Tower team, raising an incredible $44,164 for Blood Cancer NZ and finishing 3rd overall in New Zealand.
Harley Baker took out the highest individual fundraiser, raising a staggering $25,055, and Roel Ermens who smashed out 3rd place in the speed awards with an unreal time of 12 minutes 17 seconds to the top.

None of this is possible without the continued support of our amazing Patumahoe community. Thank you for backing us, supporting our fundraising, and trusting us when you need help the most.

Here’s to 2026. Stay safe, look after each other, and we’ll be here when you need us.
🚒🚒🧑‍🚒🧑‍🚒

29/12/2025

What a wild twenty four hours for our Patumahoe Volunteer Fire Brigade 🌧️🌬️

Yesterday alone our brigade responded to eleven calls across the district. From trees down needing chainsaws, to medical events, through to structural fires, the weather certainly kept everyone on their toes.

A huge thank you to our dedicated volunteers who dropped everything to keep our community safe. We also want to sincerely thank our neighbouring brigades for their awesome support and assistance throughout the day. Working together makes all the difference.

Thank you to our local community for the patience, support, and kind words during such challenging conditions. Please keep an eye out for hazards after the weather, take care on the roads, and look after one another.
We are always here when you need us🔥🚒🧑‍🚒

24/12/2025

We’ve just received official confirmation that.........

SANTA IS INBOUND TO NEW ZEALAND!

Firecom have been in touch and let us know that Santa has had a smooth and speedy flight so far and he’s on his way with his shooting sleigh pulled by the trusty reindeer! 🦌

Kids, remember brush your teeth and make sure you’re all fast asleep before he arrives so he can deliver your presents! 😴🎁

And don’t forget
✨ Leave a little drink out for Santa
🍪 Maybe some yummy cookies (but don’t tell Mrs Claus! 😉)
🥕 And maybe a little snack for the reindeer too!

Stay safe, stay excited, and have a magical Christmas Eve!

From all of us at Patumahoe Volunteer Fire Brigade 👨‍🚒👨‍🚒🎅

21/12/2025

🎄🎅 Only 3 More Sleeps Until Santa Comes to Town! 🎅🎄

It’s that magical time of year again – the Patumahoe Volunteer Fire Brigade's Annual Christmas Day Santa Run is almost here! 🚒✨

On Christmas morning, our awesome firefighters will be pounding the pavement, spreading festive cheer and handing out lollies to everyone along the way! 🍬🎉

🎅🚒 Here's the plan: Check out our route and approximate times, and get ready to hear the truck sirens! When you hear them, grab the family and come out to see us – we'll be delivering all kinds of Christmas magic, and there's a VERY special guest onboard... SANTA! 🎅

This is one of the biggest highlights of the year for our Brigade, and it’s been a beloved tradition in our community for YEARS. We can’t wait to celebrate with YOU! 🎄

Merry Christmas, Patumahoe! Let’s make this one to remember!
👨‍🚒👩‍🚒🚒🎅

19/12/2025

A huge thank you to JB's Flooring Xtra Pukekohe for their incredibly generous donation to the Patumahoe Volunteer Fire Brigade.

This support means a lot to our crew and will be used for some much deserved team time together, having a laugh, and is something we don’t always get to do outside of the Fire Station so this is truly appreciated.

We also want to thank the JBs Flooring Xtra Pukekohe team and every customer who supported the donation goodie box and helped make this possible. It’s awesome to see our community getting in behind its volunteers.

From all of us at Patumahoe Volunteer Fire Brigade, thank you for the generosity and support.

🧑‍🚒🧑‍🚒🚒🚒

10/12/2025

🔥 Not sure if it’s an emergency? That’s okay, just call 111 🔥

Sometimes we wonder whether a situation is “serious enough.” But here at Patumahoe VFB, we believe it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

If you see smoke, fire, or anything that doesn’t feel right, you’re only ever one 111 call away from help.

Stay safe & Stay hydrated