Local hero: 46 years fighting fires - Rodney Triplow

Rodney Triplow has been on the front line fighting fires for forty-six years. He joined the Havelock North Volunteer Fire Brigade in 1973, working his way up the ranks to Chief Fire Officer. On average his brigade gets two-hundred and twenty-five calls a year, day or night. It's quite a commitment, which runs in the family. Rodney's son Brendon Triplow has joined him on the brigade. This service to his neighbourhood has earned Rodney a fist-full of medals and awards, including, as he tells Kathryn Ryan, a Kiwibank Local Hero award after being shortlisted for the recent New Zealander of the Year Awards.