Current NZFBI Council
David O'Sullivan
President
David is a SFF and has been in the Wanaka, then Luggate Brigade for 15 years, competing in Combat, Waterways, Wajax and Driver's challenges. He received his NZFBI Fellow Diploma in 2013. A trained builder and chef, he's also represented NZ in skiing, and coached numerous sports. A trip to Korea in 2018 to the World Firefighter's Games led to wins in the 800m, 1500m and 3000m Steeplechase.
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Training, teaching people how to do things, and coaching are all skills that he brings to the technical arm of the UFBA. David's goal and area of expertise is to see the council develop new training and qualification pathways, relevant to brigade and working life, giving real-world skills to people. Unit standards, increased field days, and dispersing technical information will achieve this.
Andrew Cotter
Vice President
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Andrew joined the NZFBI Council during 2023 and achieved his Member Diploma in 2016. He is currently preparing his submission for Fellow.
Andrew joined the Inglewood Volunteer Fire Brigade in 2007, and is currently an SO-Qualified SFF. He has responded regularly, and continues to respond 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).
As the Immediate Past President of the Taranaki Provincial Fire Brigades’ Association, 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. Andrew has worked in other districts for short periods of time and has built relationships there too.
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
Council Member
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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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