Raglan fire chief Frank Turner has been recognised for an incredible milestone, receiving a 50 Year Service Medal from the United Fire Brigades’ Association.
The Raglan Volunteer Fire Brigade’s longest-serving member, Frank is the first-ever recipient from the Raglan Brigade to achieve this honour.
He was joined at the ceremony by family and friends, fellow brigade members, dignitaries from the United Fire Brigades’ Association, Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ), the Auckland Provincial Fire Brigade Association, and the Auckland Provincial Gold Star Association, as well as newly elected Mayor Aksel Bech and Whāingaroa Ward councillor Lisa Thompson.
A car painter by trade, Frank joined the Raglan Volunteer Fire Brigade in 1975 as a 22-year-old, inspired by his workmate and local panel beater Denny Robertson, who was volunteering at the time.
Over the years, he has held nearly every rank – from firefighter, qualified firefighter, and senior firefighter to third officer, fire officer, deputy chief, and now chief fire officer, a position he’s held since 2023.
Across five decades of service, Raglan’s most experienced firefighter has witnessed remarkable changes, from the introduction of breathing apparatus in the late 1970s – “There was a lot of coughing and spluttering,” he told the Chronicle in 2023 – to today’s strict safety standards and comprehensive training programmes.
Firefighting used to be the brigade’s main focus, and Frank remembers some of the town’s biggest blazes – the Raglan Wharf fire in 2010, John Hart’s garage, Hope’s homestead and the bakery fire, among others.
These days, while there are fewer fires, the number of callouts has tripled. When Frank started, the crew might respond to 30 incidents a year; now they average more than 100, with most being motor vehicle accidents, weather-related emergencies, or medical events. The brigade now includes first aid training, enabling members to perform CPR, use defibrillators, and provide care until Hato Hone St John arrives.
Born and bred in Whāingaroa, Frank grew up on the family farm in Te Mata, attended Te Mata School, and later Raglan Area School. His deep connection to the community is what inspired him to serve, and what’s kept him doing so for half a century.
This latest honour joins his 2017 Mayoral Community Award, recognising his outstanding commitment and decades of service to the Raglan Volunteer Fire Brigade.
