Shannon Taylor

Shannon or ‘Tiny’ as he is known (‘Tiny’ he isn’t at 6 foot 8) is a Qualified Firefighter from the Waitara Volunteer Fire Brigade. He joined the fire service in 2020 after assisting his father, who was delivering a medical co-responder course, as a ‘ring-in student’ for the 2 day course. Having grown up around the emergency services, his father served as a Paramedic and Community Education Officer in the Queensland Ambulance Service as well as the Queensland Rural Fire Service, it was really just a matter of when, not if, he would join. Prior to joining, he volunteered with Community Patrols New Zealand in Pukekohe, Waitara and New Plymouth.

He also currently volunteers with both Meremere Dragway and Stratford Speedway as part of their Fire & Rescue Crew

He is a Firefighter and Training coordinator for New Plymouth Airport Rescue Fire, which suits him nicely as he is also a self proclaimed aviation geek. Prior to Airport Fire, Shannon had spent 14 years in the waste and recycling industry in Auckland and Taranaki, both as a driver and in the factory on the sort line and operating machinery. Tiny also spent 10 years helping with various construction projects in NZ and Rarotonga as part of the H&S/First Aid Teams.

Tiny is currently working his way through ERD consolidation and his next goal is to progress though to Senior Firefighter. He also regularly helps his local brigade with training of new recruits.