Maungaturoto struggling with more fires, fewer volunteer firefighters

Maungaturoto Volunteer Fire Brigade chief Paddy Thornton. Photo / Tania Whyte

Maungaturoto is short of volunteer firefighters just as they are getting more calls than ever.

These volunteers have attended more than 60 callouts this year, up from just under 40 at the same time last year.

"It's putting a lot of pressure on the staff we've got," Maungaturoto fire chief Paddy Thornton said.

"The past three weeks, since they took the fire ban off at the start of April, we've had scrub fire after scrub fire."

Many of the recent callouts were due to people underestimating the dryness of the grass, particularly kikuyu, before lighting fires, he added.

The brigade has about 15 volunteers, with just eight attending most calls, but a full complement would be 22.

There were advantages to becoming a volunteer firefighter, Thornton said, especially for people new to an area.

"It's giving something back to the community and you meet some great people, guys and girls."

Daytime crewing was particularly difficult for the brigade, Thornton said, with many people who live locally working outside Maungaturoto.

Volunteers need to live within 5km of the fire station, and those who could respond to daytime callouts were often shift workers.

The Maungaturoto brigade has recently lost several daytime crew members who were shift workers at the Marsden Point oil refinery before its shutdown, Thornton said.

There is an initial one-week training course to become a volunteer firefighter, however that time is paid.

The Maungaturoto team respond to rescue incidents, such as car crashes, as well as fires, but the rescue course firefighters are encouraged to take is run over a weekend.

Thornton said traumatic incidents are only a very small part of the job, however it is worth it to help the community and the fire service has "brilliant" support.

"When you do something for someone and you see the expressions on their faces after you get them out of a car they've been trapped in, that's all I need."

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer for the Maungaturoto Volunteer Fire Brigade can contact the team through their Facebook page.

Fire and Emergency NZ has more information on volunteering at https://www.fireandemergency.nz/volunteering/