Kerikeri fire exercise will have ‘smoke, bodies, blood and gore’

There’ll be a major fire emergency exercise in Kerikeri last this month involving Fire and Emergency NZ, police and St John Hato Hone ambulance service.

There’ll be firefighters battling hazardous materials, bodies, blood, plenty of smoke and probably a few screams - an exercise near Kerikeri next week is set to make a dramatic scene, but people are urged not to worry, it’s just a practice.

The Kerikeri Volunteer Fire Brigade’s Hazmat drill – a major readiness and response simulated exercise involving multiple emergency agencies - will be on October 30 on a property on State Highway 10 at Waipapa.

In addition to the Kerikeri volunteers, crews and appliances from Paihia, Kawakawa, Ōkaihau and Kaikohe will also be taking part alongside NZ Police and St John, with more than 50 volunteers involved.

It will be as authentic as possible, with smoke showing from a building in which 25 patients - made up in artificial blood and gore - will be trapped.

A FENZ spokesperson said the exercise will be taking place at 2077 SH10, at Advance Build, in Waipapa, from 6pm to 8pm.

The exercise will be visible to passers-by on the highway and the smoke may be seen from surrounding areas.

The spokesperson said the simulated scenario involving smoke, ‘patients’ and several curve balls thrown into the mix will be designed to train and prepare the volunteer brigades for a worst-case Hazmat scenario, while testing their equipment and response capability.

A hot debrief will conclude the drill, followed by kai provided by the Rapid Relief team.

‘’It’s not often that our volunteers are involved in exercises of this size or scope. While the experience is invaluable for them in terms of readiness, resilience, and response it also demonstrates their preparedness and commitment to go above and beyond to their communities,’’ the spokesperson said.

It will help with the technical aspects of simulating a real-life scenario of this scale, the challenges and decision-making the volunteer crews will be making in real time, and how the brigades will work alongside NZ Police and St John to ensure they all benefit and gain insights from such a useful and relevant exercise.

FENZ hopes the exercise will also encourage people to sign up to volunteer for their local fire brigade, with brigades throughout Northland always on the lookout for more people to get involved.

The spokesperson said Te Tai Tokerau is served by only one ‘career’ fire station – in Whāngarei – so the make up of the hundreds of firefighters across the region is almost 100 per cent volunteers.

‘’They come from all walks of life and the time and passion they dedicate to their ‘other’ job, which can take them away from their fulltime work, whānau, and other commitments at a moment’s notice, is extraordinary and often downplayed or underestimated,’’ she said.

Anybody keen to volunteer should contact their nearest fire brigade or people can go to www.fireandemergency.nz/volunteering/