Our Team

Willie grew up in Whataroa on the West Coast of the South Island and began his firefighting journey at 16 years old in a small brigade with only four other firefighters. Experiencing both the challenges and opportunities of joining young gave him valuable insight into youth engagement, training, and development.

Now based in Ranfurly, Willie has been an active member of Ranfurly Volunteer Fire Brigade since 2021 and currently holds the role of Senior Firefighter. He is also a Qualified Firefighter with Dunedin Airport Rescue Fire, working full time since 2023, and supports Outram Volunteer Fire Brigade when able.

Willie has been heavily involved in community engagement and youth development, working closely with Luke Bain and Holly Bain (Dunsandel) to take cadet programme development from a local idea to a national collaborative effort since 2023.

As National Programme Lead, Willie brings frontline operational experience across volunteer and industrial brigades, a strong community focus, and a personal understanding of joining young. He is committed to creating safe, supportive, and sustainable pathways for young people into the fire service.

Roger is a Risk Reduction Advisor and Fire Investigator with Fire and Emergency New Zealand in Northland. Prior to joining FENZ in 2025, he served as a Sergeant and Alcohol Harm Reduction Officer with NZ Police, gaining extensive experience in community safety and youth engagement.

Roger is also Station Officer at Kawakawa Volunteer Fire Brigade, where he leads the Ahi Kaa Cadets programme, which has been highly commended for its community enrichment work.

As North Island Lead, Roger combines operational leadership, risk expertise, and hands on youth programme delivery to ensure the national framework is practical, safe, and meaningful.

Luke Bain is a Station Officer with the Dunsandel Volunteer Fire Brigade and has served in the fire service since 2012, beginning his journey as a volunteer firefighter with the Dunoon Rural Fire Service in Northern New South Wales, Australia. Since moving to New Zealand in 2016, he has continued his commitment to volunteer firefighting, progressing through the ranks to his current leadership role.

Throughout his firefighting career, Luke has been dedicated to serving his community during times of need and supporting the development of future generations within the fire service. His leadership experience, combined with a strong commitment to community service, has enabled him to make a significant contribution both operationally and through youth development initiatives.

In 2019, following a tragic incident involving a young person, Luke and his wife Holly identified a need for positive opportunities and support networks for rangatahi within their community. This led to the establishment of the Dunsandel Fire Cadets Programme, providing young people with a safe, supportive environment where they can develop leadership skills, confidence, teamwork, resilience, and a sense of belonging.

Since 2020, the programme has continued to grow and thrive, positively impacting the lives of many young people. One of Luke's proudest achievements has been seeing cadets progress into operational firefighting roles, with former cadets now serving as volunteer firefighters within their communities.

Today, Luke serves as the South Island Lead and is a passionate advocate for youth development through the fire service. He is committed to creating opportunities for young people to challenge themselves, build life skills, and reach their full potential. Luke strongly believes that Fire Cadets provides valuable experiences for all participants, regardless of whether they choose to pursue a future career in firefighting.

Ange is a Qualified Firefighter (QFF) with the Russell Volunteer Fire Brigade, having joined the brigade in 2019. Alongside her volunteer role in the fire service, Angela works as the Office Administrator at Russell Primary School, where she is actively involved in supporting the local community and engaging with young people and their families.

As both a firefighter and a member of the school community, Angela has a strong understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing young people in Russell. Living in a small rural community, she recognised that there were limited activities and development opportunities available for teenagers outside of school. Wanting to provide a positive and engaging outlet for local youth, Angela was instrumental in helping establish a Fire Cadet programme within Russell.

Since its introduction, the programme has received overwhelming support from the local community and has quickly become a valued initiative for young people and their whānau. Angela is passionate about creating opportunities that encourage personal growth, confidence, teamwork, leadership, and community involvement.

Through the Russell Fire Cadets programme, young people are given the opportunity to learn new skills, build lasting friendships, and gain an insight into the fire service in a safe and supportive environment. Angela believes the programme provides an excellent pathway for those interested in becoming volunteer firefighters while also equipping participants with valuable life skills that will benefit them regardless of the career path they choose.

Angela is proud to be part of both the Russell Volunteer Fire Brigade and the Cadet Programme, and remains committed to supporting young people within her community to develop confidence, resilience, and a strong sense of belonging.

Jodi has been a volunteer firefighter with Te Puke Fire Brigade for nine years and is a qualified driver and pump operator.

In 2024, Jodi helped pilot Te Puke’s cadet programme after receiving local funding support. The programme successfully launched with four cadets and continues into 2025 with a second intake.

Jodi is deeply involved in brigade training and development, supporting additional recruit training nights for the past five years. She brings strong operational experience and a passion for developing people across all levels of firefighting.

Role currently not filled.

In the interim, this area is supported by the Rural Brigade Rep, Jodi Reymer.

If you volunteer or work in any fire service in the Te Upoko region and think you have what it takes to be the main contact for your region and provide support to lots of brigades, get in touch with the National Programme Lead. 

Role currently not filled.

In the interim, brigades should contact the South Island Lead or National Programme Lead for guidance.

If you volunteer or work in any fire service in the Te Kei region and think you have what it takes to be the main contact for your region and provide support to lots of brigades, get in touch with the National Programme Lead. 

Jodi Reymer  has been a volunteer firefighter with Pirongia Fire Brigade for nine years and currently serves as a Station Officer. Pirongia is a small rural brigade, and throughout her time there Jodi has been closely involved in engaging with the local community, particularly through youth-focused initiatives.

Jodi has been involved in the Pirongia Cadet Programme for most of her firefighting career. The programme is designed to educate and engage young people in fire safety and emergency response, while also encouraging those with an interest to consider joining a fire brigade later in life. She has seen firsthand how early exposure to firefighting can positively influence confidence, capability, and long-term involvement.

In addition to her work within the brigade, Jodi has supported other youth development programmes over the years, including involvement with local church youth groups. This broader experience has strengthened her understanding of youth engagement, mentoring, and creating safe, supportive environments for young people.

Jodi brings to the national cadet programme a strong rural brigade perspective, practical leadership experience, and insight gained from seeing cadets progress into capable and motivated firefighters. She understands the unique opportunities and challenges of running cadet programmes in rural settings and is committed to supporting sustainable pathways for young people into the fire service.

Role currently not filled.

In the interim, this area is supported by the National Programme Lead, Willie McBride, whose industrial brigade experience (Dunedin Airport Rescue Fire) ensures industrial considerations are reflected in programme guidance.

If you work in Defence, Airport, Mines Rescue or any other industrial brigade and think you can provide beneficial input and support into the programme then get in contact with the National Programme Lead.

Hemi has been a Qualified Firefighter (QFF) with the Wānaka Fire Brigade since 2022, with progression to Senior Firefighter scheduled for 2026.

Alongside his firefighting role, Hemi has spent most of his professional career working in Youth Development across Aotearoa. He is currently the Men’s Wellbeing Coordinator at Central Lakes Family Services, where he leads the development of a holistic, prevention-focused wellbeing service supporting adult males throughout Central Otago. His work includes supporting adult male survivors of sexual assault, men engaged through the Family Court, those convicted of family violence offences, and rangatahi involved with Oranga Tamariki.

Previously, Hemi was Lead Youth Worker at Kahu Youth, overseeing youth development programmes and key management responsibilities. Advocacy for rangatahi and ensuring consistent, clear, and safe communication across organisations were central to his role.

Hemi brings a strong focus on safeguarding, advocacy, and communication to the Cadet Programme. With experience developing Child and Youth Safeguarding policies, he believes safety must be the foundation of all youth programmes. He is passionate about advocating for rangatahi through the creation of a nationally recognised FENZ Cadet Programme and ensuring engagement with cadets and whānau is clear, consistent, and safe.

Role currently not filled.

In the interim, this area is supported by the National Safeguarding Lead, Hemi Cordell.

Work is underway to appoint a new person to this role.