PUKEHINA VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE
Like many small towns, Pukehina has a top volunteer fire brigade. Just as well, because they're the first port of call in any emergency, including marine rescue. Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Mark Ritchie, says they're often called out to help boats in trouble, which is why their fleet includes a pretty unusual vehicle, a jetski. However they urgently needed a 4WD quad bike to tow it down to the water. And fast. So the Lion Foundation helped out with a grant, which Mark reports has really sped up their response rate. "The 4WD has reduced our turnout time by fifteen to twenty minutes." For the people whose lives they save, those few minutes can make all the difference.
