United Fire Brigades’ Association National Waterways Challenge

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Acknowledgements and welcome
E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga iwi o te motu. E huihui nei, Tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou, Kia ora tātou katoa. Distinguished guests, fire-fighters, ladies and gentlemen, warm greetings to you all.
 
I specifically acknowledge: Ian Lindsay and George Verry, President and Chief Executive of the United Fire Brigades’ Association respectively; Chris Price, Chairman of the Challenges Committee; Rt Hon Wyatt Creech, Deputy Chairperson of the NZ Fire Service Commission; Your Worship Ron Mark, Mayor of Carterton.

I’m really pleased to attend this United Fire Brigades’ Association National Waterways Challenge here in Carterton. The event captures some of the things that I think are important – comradeship, commitment to excellence and competition.

This competition was to have been conducted eight months ago. However, following the devastating earthquake in Christchurch on the 22nd of February, the competition was postponed as every fire-fighter was placed on standby.

My predecessor, Sir Anand Satyanand, was due to open this Challenge on 25 February. True to the enduring nature of the office I hold, it is my honour today to fulfil that duty in, shortly, officially opening this year’s United Fire Brigades’ Association National Waterways Challenge.

In this gathering today, there may be some who were in the frontline of responding to the disaster in Christchurch.  And given the tight-knit world of firefighters, there will be many others who have heard first hand from mates in Canterbury of what transpired on that day, and those that followed.  In the spirit of the vision of the UFBA, to be the best fire and rescue member association in the world, I think it is great you have come back together to ‘finish what was started’.

I know you will be keen to get on with the Challenge, so I will stick to the ABC of speaking – I will be accurate, brief, and concise.

Competition
It is neat to see fire-fighters from throughout New Zealand coming together to enjoy healthy competition, and I want to congratulate each brigade and fire-fighter competing here today.

One of my predecessors as Governor-General, Lord Cobham, was a keen sportsman and spoke many times on the importance of good sportsmanship in competition. When speaking to a Sportsmen’s Luncheon in Wellington in 1961, he described well the importance of values learnt while participating in a competition when he said the following:-
“There is a profound truth in ...the healing and strengthening effect of games, not only on the young but on every age. For sport is a great character-former.  It teaches that self-control should always precede self-expression, and that gracious acceptance of defeat is the gold to victory’s silver.”

You have all come here to win today and that is always the goal. However, facing loss is an inevitable part of competition. Accepting defeat and shaking the hand of those that have had the edge and won is a valuable virtue. 
It is through our defeats, as much as our successes that we learn and develop character. It is through healthy competition that skills are honed, and competitors improve.

Camaraderie
Camaraderie is an important element of this competition. It is built through confronting the challenges as a team and working together to achieve excellence. It is something that I truly appreciate, from my time serving in the New Zealand Defence Force.  When you’re on active service, the support of your mates-in-arms is about more than friendship.  Mates help you to celebrate the good times, but they also support you in the hard times.  Knowing that a mate is covering your back is important when your very life is on the line.  I am sure this concept resonates with fire-fighters who are often called upon to respond in extremely dangerous and life threatening situations.

Commitment
This leads me to my third point – commitment. While competitions, like todays one, are a time where skills are tested in a fun and safe environment, the reality is that each one of you has and is tested in times of need. Many firefighters here are volunteers. You put your life at risk in service to your community, expecting little in return.

I would like to take this opportunity to offer my thanks, on behalf of all New Zealanders, for the tremendous contribution each one of you makes. With more than 480 volunteer brigades the length and breadth of the country , you are part of an integral army of service that our country could not do without.

No reira, Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.
     
It now gives me great pleasure to declare the United Fire Brigades’ Association National Waterways Challenge 2011 officially open.