Whangārei's frontline rescue tender lost coolant and overheated while responding to an aircraft crash in May just moments after performing an extraction from a crash. Photo / NZPFYU
Whangārei's frontline rescue tender lost coolant and overheated while responding to an aircraft crash in May just moments after performing an extraction from a crash. Photo / NZPFYU
Northland career firefighters are frustrated by their aged and issue-plagued emergency vehicle fleet.
New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union Whangārei president Paul Ballantine said crews were having to fight fires on the ground because Northland had one aerial truck that could be unreliable.
Fire and Emergency NZ responded, saying therewere other ways to fight fires. It was confident in the ability of its crews to respond to emergencies.
Ballantine believed a fire last year that destroyed the Whangārei laundromat and dry cleaning could have been contained faster had an engine with better aerial capacity been available.
Whangārei’s aerial truck was supposed to be supported by an Auckland engine but the splash guard came loose on the way, meaning another had to be sent.
The engine arrived two hours and 48 minutes after the fire was reported. Firefighters ended up fighting the blaze for more than six hours.
It took fire crews more than six hours to tackle the blaze last year which also impacted a business next door. Photo / Denise Piper
The fire damaged neighbouring business, Smart Water and Irrigation, and triggered a public health warning as smoke spread into nearby suburbs.
Speaking after the blaze, Northland District Commander Wipari Henwood said aerial appliances were not the only tactic available for preventing the spread of fires.
“Firefighters adjust their tactical approaches based on what they are faced with at the time.”
Henwood said sprinklers, which the building did not have, would have likely contained the fire better.
He explained the aerial truck Whangārei used was consistent with the needs of similar sized districts and that appliance needs were regularly reviewed nationwide.
The Whangārei aerial truck more recently was in for repairs when crews responded to the fire in Waitangi that destroyed historic vessel The Tui.
Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze on a historic ship The Tui by the Waitangi Bridge. Photo / Derek Gerritsen
Ballantine said the only available aerial appliance was a near five hour drive away in Hamilton.
In May, a differentWhangārei fire truck overheated and broke down upon arrival to a light plane crash at Onerahi Airport.
Ballantine claimed resourcing issues at Whangārei Fire Station had existed for several years. He worried the crew was relying on trucks past their use-by dates.
He believed their trucks should be between seven to 10 years old but two of their frontline appliances were 14.
Whangārei firefighters were currently relying on a 26-year-old engine with a second-hand pump while a newer vehicle was being repaired.
Ballantine said the truck lacked air conditioning which significantly reduced visibility.
Crews had to make sure they had plenty of towels on hand to wipe the windows clear of condensation that built up in wet weather.
Fire and Emergency NZ acting deputy chief executive for service delivery operations Ken Cooper said specialist trucks had a lifespan of between 20 and 25 years depending on their type.
He said around a quarter of the nation’s 1280 trucks had been replaced since 2017.
Cooper explained trucks were well maintained, certified and warranted as the organisation had a robust servicing programme.
Ballantine said crews had complained about the time it took to sort repairs, saying it impacted training that was vital.
Cooper rejected suggestions the fleet had been mismanaged.
“Safety of our people and the public is a priority for us,” he said.
Cooper noted officers leading emergency responses had been trained to be agile and use the resources available to them.
He reassured the public firefighters were well-trained and was confident in their abilities.
Cooper did not respond to questions about what support was being offered to the Whangārei Fire Station given its issues with its engines.
The United Fire Brigades Association said it was not aware of issues with volunteer fleets.
Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.
