Alerted to 20-year service

Ken Connor has always been satisfied that his Civil Defence training has been worthwhile when natural disasters occur – in the nicest way possible.

The current responder and safety officer with Nelson Tasman’s specialist Civil Defence rescue team, NZ-RT2, has reached  the two-decade milestone with the organisation.

Ken was among 10 members of the region’s Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) to be honoured for their long service on 14 November by Emergency Management and Recovery Minister, Mark Mitchell.

Ken says his service was dedicated to the community and his comrades.

“[The community is] very grateful for everything we do, like in all the flooding events we attend they can’t praise us enough,” he says.

“[Civil Defence] was a good way of joining up and meeting a new bunch of people who were like-minded like I was at that time because I’d always been a rural fireman as well.”

Ken has also served 31 years with Fire and Emergency New Zealand including 16 at Appleby Volunteer Fire Brigade, where he is the current deputy chief.

He has risen through the Civil Defence echelons serving as a section leader, deputy team leader, safety officer and equipment officer. Floods and cyclones have made up his emergency incidents portfolio, with the Christchurch earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 “the highlight”. His work during the aftermaths involved in assisting fire crews to demolish hundreds of “rattled loose” chimneys that posed a risk to people or property.

“I know people think that we’re being nasty saying that was an amazing thing to be at, but after you train for seven or eight years, all your training has come to a head and it was an amazing experience,” he says.

“Most people have no idea that we’re out there but until you get to something like [the Christchurch earthquakes], all of a sudden ‘where did all these guys come from?’.”

Ken’s service has been long and strong, and while the Civil Defence message for when an earthquake strikes is ‘Long or Strong, Get Gone’, he won’t be heading for the hills just yet.

His current pride and joy with the organisation is ensuring all new NZ-RT2 members with a zest for adventure are supported in their initial training.
Anyone interested in joining the response team can email [email protected]