The siren has been heard across Havelock North for over 100 years.
And for 46 of them, Volunteer Chief Fire Officer Rod Triplow's been dropping everything for it.
He says his mind is “busy” as he drives to the station.
“You are thinking to yourself what it might be and getting yourself prepared.”
His son Brendon often by his side. He’s been part of the crew now for 17 years.
His mind always goes straight to his family.
“Firstly I’ve got to make sure the kids are looked after and make sure the wife’s home before I dart off..” he laughs “but you know you still get that kick of adrenaline.”
Even career paramedic and latest recruit Steve Lynch still gets that feeling when turning out for what he calls a vocation.
“To help people in their hour of need, when they are at their most vulnerable the pride that you get from doing that it never wears off.”
The team have tackled some of the region’s biggest blazes.
The 2017 Waimarama fires threatened their community and took days to extinguish.
But each have their own memories, Rod battled to save the joinery firm where he once worked.
“You came across the road and you thought wow that’s work… it’s not going to be good… so it was not a great feeling.”
Or the day a Vijays distribution centre fire turned the skies of Hastings dark.
Brendon Triplow was only new to the force and knew immediately it was serious.
“You could see the smoke driving down to the a station and I thought… yea this is going to be a good one.”
The centennial celebration marked today with a parade around the village, stopping Saturday traffic.
Of the 13,000 firefighters that make up the force in New Zealand, 85 per cent of them are volunteers, with an average age across the country of 44 years old.
Fire and Emergency NZ have set up a new strategy to nurture and look after new and current volunteers as the service demands evolve.
Rod Triplow says that’s vital for the sustainability of the force which struggles to get available crews during daytime hours.
“We get turned out to all sorts of things now lot more medical calls so they certainly take their toll on the crews.”
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