Current NZFBI Council
Andrew Cotter
President
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Andrew joined the NZFBI Council during 2023, was elected Vice President in 2024 and became President in 2025.
Andrew achieved his Associate Diploma in 2012, his Member Diploma in 2016 and was awarded his Fellow Diploma in 2025.
Andrew joined the Inglewood Volunteer Fire Brigade in 2007, and is currently an SO-Qualified SFF. He has responded for other brigades during daytime hours while working in their turnout zones.
During his time with Inglewood, he has held several positions and been actively involved in all aspects of the social and serious sides of the brigade.
Andrew has been employed with NZFS and now Fire and Emergency NZ in Fire Risk Management and Risk Reduction roles since 2015. Andrew is appointed as a FENZ Inspector, qualified as a Specialist Fire Investigator, is a Registered Fire Investigator with the Emergency Management Professionalisation Scheme (EMPS) administered by AFAC.
He is a member of a number of organisations such as the Building Officials Institute of NZ and the New Zealand Association of Fire Investigators and serves on the Institute of Fire Engineers (Taranaki Group) committee. He is currently undertaking study through the Canberra Institute of Technology, towards an Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Fire Investigation).
Andrew is a Past President of the Taranaki Provincial Fire Brigades’ Association and continues to serve on the Executive as the current Treasurer.
Andrew has a strong connection to Career, Natural Environment and Urban Volunteer brigades and their members through his time on the Provincial and through his day-to-day work in Taranaki and wider afield where he has worked in other districts for periods of time as well as acting as an Official at UFBA Challenge events.
Building technical knowledge and capabilities in all of our people is a passion for Andrew, and he strives to make time in his busy schedule to help educate and improve how brigades and firefighters develop themselves and apply this in their roles with FENZ.
Andrew has previously worked in a range of technical roles in Local Government as a Hydrology Officer undertaking compliance functions, environmental monitoring and water resourcing; Dairy products manufacture including process improvements and supply chain coordination; and in the Oil and Gas industry.
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Philip Hunt
Vice President
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Philip is a Station Officer in the Darfield Volunteer Fire Brigade. He has also spent time in the Rural Fire Service as a Deputy Fire Force Controller and RFO. Philip is self-employed, working in the transport sector. Prior to joining Fire and Emergency, Philip volunteered with St John for 20 years and has a Bachelor of Nursing Degree.
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Philip’s leadership and governance skills have been enhanced after completing the Mentorship Program through FENZ and professional development with business coaching, and he currently sits on the Executive Committee of the Mid Canterbury Fire Brigades Sub Association.
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Philip is a regular attendee at the Auckland stair climbs and enjoys the outdoors either running or hunting in the hills around Canterbury.
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