Local Focus: Meet the geothermal inspector

Peter Brownbridge is one of a handful of geothermal inspectors in the world, and he works for Rotorua Lakes Council.

In this video he shares the highlights of being charged with the safety of the public in Rotorua.

Well-known for its craters and geysers, Rotorua is a city built on geothermal activity. That means anything can happen, from holes appearing in residents' back gardens to manufactured infrastructure failing.

There is no typical callout for Brownbridge.

"A few years ago we had an incident just down the road where an old well failed and was shooting a jet of steam under pressure across Lake Rd, just at the traffic lights. And what made it memorable was, I was sitting on the side of the road with an elderly gentleman having a cup of tea and scones while we closed the road down."

Brownbridge said the best part of the job was some of the people he meets and works with, from the public to other emergency services.

"I do enjoy learning about it, learning about what's under our feet, talking to a lot of the older locals. Yes, I suppose it is a passion."

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