Far North firefighters were taking a much-needed rest yesterday as floodwaters continue to subside and Whangarei colleagues travelled north to help with the clean-up.
More than 400 volunteer firefighters responded across Northland, many times over and for long hours at a stretch.
Among their tasks yesterday was a hose-down of the asphalt areas at Moerewa School. Caretaker Mike Scott said water had not entered the buildings but play areas, netball courts, the drive and bus bay were covered in silt and possibly contaminated by sewage.
He had cleared away much of the silt but asked the Fire Service for help hosing down the schoolgrounds before the children returned on Monday.
Fire Service Muriwhenua area commander Allan Kerrisk said four Whangarei firefighters travelled to Moerewa yesterday to give the Kawakawa brigade a badly needed break. They were pumping water from the school pool to avoid putting pressure on the town's drinking water supply.