McKenzee Botica has just become a fully-fledged volunteer firefighter, making her the fourth generation in her family to answer the call of the brigade.
She joined the Wakefield Fire Brigade as a recruit a year ago because she was responding to medical callouts via the GoodSAM app, and thought she might as well be part of a team.
As a nurse in the hospital’s emergency department, signing up to the app to help others in her community during a medical event felt right. The app sends out an alert to those signed up with medical skills.
“I decided I was better to turn up with the crew and the equipment, and with firefighting skills I can offer more support.”
Now, like three generations before her, she’s heading out on the fire truck. Her great-grandfather Frank McEnaney was the first, as deputy chief fire officer in Greymouth, followed by her grandfather, Brian McEnaney, who served 40 years with the Greymouth brigade and was also deputy chief fire officer. On the other side of the family, her father, Heath Botica, was also a volunteer firefighter in Greymouth.
Ninety-three-year-old Brian planned to travel from Greymouth to Christchurch for her recent graduation ceremony, but the weather had other plans and snow closed the road. But she’s pretty stoked he wanted to be there.
“Grandad is pretty chuffed about it. He had a part in setting up the training centre in Christchurch and wanted to be there for the graduation.
“Dad thinks it’s pretty cool, too. He’s always been a big support for me throughout my role as an emergency nurse. He’s a good person to debrief with because he’s been through it all.”
As a first-response team, McKenzee says many of the Wakefield brigade’s callouts are medical events and they are often first there. As a nurse in the emergency department, she knows many of the ambulance staff and can offer them assistance as well, under their delegation.
While her firefighter role has her in heavy protective gear, her other volunteer role takes her spinning around the floor on high heels as the experienced dancing partner in Dancing for a Cause. The Nelson Tasman Hospice fundraiser is held biennially, with the next event next year.
“I just seem to always commit myself to things, but I think everyone has to do their part and I enjoy it.
“You can see it makes a difference for people.”
