Authorities responsible for rural firefighting in Northland want greater clarity on how a Government proposal to merge urban and rural fire authorities will work, including transfer of assets and funding arrangements.
Last November, Minister of Internal Affairs Peter Dunne announced the formation of a new organisation, Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz), which would be responsible for the reduction and managing of risk and for fire responses in all parts of the country and for all types of fire.
At present, responses to rural fires, which mainly affect vegetation, are managed by local bodies termed Rural Fire Authorities which are often the local Territorial Authority but could also be the Department of Conservation or a commercial forest company.
The Fire and Emergency New Zealand Bill was introduced to Parliament and passed to the government administration select committee, which sought public submissions.
In its submission to the select committee, the Whangarei District Council recommended further exploration of fulltime, paid deputy principal rural fire officers alongside volunteer rural firefighters operating under a principal rural fire officer.
The council said roles and responsibilities surrounding the role of rural fire service in terms of managing both structure and rural fires should be clarified.
"It is recommended that the community should be consulted in determining the boundaries of rural fire districts, recognising that centralisation should not supersede the importance of local knowledge and expertise."
A merger of urban and rural fire services, the council said, should ensure it did not affect the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters, who provided a critical contribution to their community.
The Far North District Council also made a submission calling for greater clarity around the role of territorial local authorities and avenues for representation and consultation with volunteer firefighters.
It also asked for clarity around local influence over and ownership of fire services and ongoing monitoring and formal review processes.
Kevin Ihaka, managing director of Forest Protection Services, which is contracted by WDC for fighting rural fires in Whangarei, said the main concern from volunteer firefighters related to the future of assets paid for by fundraising in communities.
Mr Ihaka is also the chairman of the Forest and Rural Fire Association of New Zealand, which also made submissions.
He said most of the detail concerning day-to-day operation was not yet developed, raising concerns the bill would be law before we knew exactly what its effects would be.