New Zealand's busiest hazmat / command unit goes offline after it is found leaning in the engine bay. Video / NZ Herald
A specialist fire truck based in Auckland and used when responding to incidents involving potentially dangerous substances is out of action.
Firefighters at the Auckland City Fire Station reported finding its Hazmat (hazardous materials) command unit leaning over in the engine bay late last night - rendering it unable tobe used.
The NZ Professional Firefighters' Union said crew members were left "shocked" at the discovery; particularly as the truck would normally respond to hazardous material emergencies and provide vital co-ordination and control at major incidents.
"The fire truck going offline meant that special decontamination showers that are on trial to mitigate carcinogen exposure for firefighters could not be used," NZPFU spokesman Jaron Phillips said.
"It also meant that the Ports of Auckland would not receive a speedy response from a Hazmat team in the event of a chemical emergency at the port."
At the scene, a note had been put on the window shield of the affected truck, reading: "Don't drive this truck. Air bags broken. Workshops due 8am 23/6."
The Hazmat fire truck currently unavailable. Photo / Hayden Woodward
The station also had makeshift signs on the front, which read: "Understaffed. Undervalued. Overworked."
Firefighters on strike for better work conditions
The incident comes as members of the Union are on strike as they fight for reasonable wages and safer working conditions.
Members say there is a crisis and that Fire and Emergency NZ is failing to employ sufficient career firefighters and 111 emergency call centre dispatchers to meet minimum staffing.
That has resulted in the closure of some career stations, fire trucks being taken offline and firefighters riding in unsafe short-crews to keep the fire trucks responding.
Phillips said: "The Union says that Fire and Emergency NZ is in crisis and the ongoing failure of fire trucks is putting the lives of firefighters and the community at unnecessary risk."
