Mayor disappointed by support for families of firefighters

“We can do a lot better.”

That is how Far North Mayor Wayne Brown has described the community’s response to a mayoral relief fund set up to help the families of fire fighters who died fighting a scrub fire at Karikari Peninsula last year.

Salt Air pilot John ‘Prickles’ de Ridder and DOC ranger William Macrae died when their helicopter crashed during a fire reconnaissance flight at the peninsula on December 1.

Mr Brown launched a three-month campaign to raise money for the families of the deceased after attending Mr Macrae’s funeral on December 6.

He is grateful to those who have given to the fund, but disappointed at the amount donated to date.

“We’ll announce the amount raised at the end of the campaign. All we wish to say at this stage is we are disappointed by the support for these two families.

“We didn’t set a goal when we announced this fund, but we think the people of the Far North can do better.”

He urges people who haven’t already donated to the fund to make a donation before the campaign ends on March 6.

“Surely that is the least we can do for these families, given the sacrifices their loved ones made protecting our communities.”

People can donate to the fund at any branch of the ASB Bank which has opened a Far North District Council Mayoral Relief Fund account.

Virtual cheques can be paid into the same ASB account 12-3244-0031536-00 online.

Cash, EFTPOS and cheque donations can also be made at all Far North District Council service centres.