"Volunteers are the backbone of New Zealand’s fire response, and every day we are grateful for their commitment, skill and professionalism," Fire and Emergency New Zealand Chief Executive Kerry Gregory says.

"Nearly twelve thousand people volunteer for Fire and Emergency, protecting the communities they live in, 24/7, 365 days a year," he says.

"Volunteers make up 80 percent of our workforce across the motu and we couldn’t run this organisation without them.

"They serve as firefighters, operational support personnel, medical first responders and brigade support and respond to a range of emergencies, not just fires. They also help to spread the word about fire safety in their communities," Kerry Gregory says.

"They are ordinary New Zealanders from all walks of life who are totally committed to serving their communities and who frequently go above and beyond to keep their communities safe and supported.

"We see this again and again, including during the severe weather events last year, and the spate of long duration wildfires this year.

"Next week is National Volunteer Week, and we’re putting a spotlight on our volunteers. We’re asking everyone to join us in thanking our volunteers for generously donating their time, effort and family life to serve and protect their communities.

"There's another group of people whose support is critical to our volunteers’ emergency response - their whānau and employers, and we thank them too, " Kerry Gregory says.

"Reach out and say thank you to Fire and Emergency volunteers and their support people, it’s so simple but it will mean a lot."

© Scoop Media