The new Volvo is a permanent replacement.
Fire and Emergency region manager Bruce Stubbs said the truck had good manoeuvrability and power, which would help the brigade respond to the areas it needed to.
“The new truck will be a valuable asset to not only crews but to the communities they serve,” Stubbs said.
National Park Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Marilla Swift said the crew of 17 was “totally stoked” with the new truck.
“New trucks don’t come our way often but we are over the moon to get this one,” Swift said.
“Our brigade doesn’t normally have call numbers that would qualify us to receive a brand new truck but our location means that we have the need for this very specialised appliance.
“Waimarino, where the National Park Fire Brigade is based, is the highest town on the North Island, situated at the base of Ruapehu and most significantly responds to Whakapapa Ski Area.
“It will make a really big difference to how we respond and the confidence that we will have to get out of the door and do what we need to do, especially in winter.”
She said the brigade was busy in winter, with an increase in weather-related call-outs and visitors.
The geography, profile of risks and responsibility of the large Whakapapa Ski Area were reasons it was “critical” for National Park to have the new truck.
“Whakapapa has the longest ski season, operating for five months of winter and a further five months over summer. Visitor numbers can be up to 6500 people on a peak winter day, which is huge.
“It’s really important that we can get up there when we need to, which includes the numerous occasions when the road is only open to 4WD vehicles.
“We’re always aware that when conditions are at their worst, in some respects, the risks are at their highest.”
Iwikau Village, at the base of the ski area, could accommodate 1500 people who stayed in woodburner-heated huts when the weather was bad, Swift said.
The large number of visitors meant there was an increased risk of medical events and fire.
The snow and the increased traffic volume on the road could also result in motor vehicle crashes, Swift said.
“Often, when the conditions are marginal, that’s when we get more accident call-outs,” she said.
“A couple of years ago, there was a motor vehicle accident on the ski road. Police, ambulance and fire [crew] were all sitting at the bottom because none of us had 4WD vehicles and it wasn’t safe to go up with 2WD.
“We don’t want to be in that situation, we want to be able to help people when they need it, so this truck definitely gives us better capability to do that more easily and safely.”
Whakapapa Ski Area was the district’s most important economic asset, she said.
“Local businesses are reliant on visitors coming to the mountain. Among the assets we respond to are the snow factory, the Skywaka [New Zealand’s longest gondola] and the stunning Knoll Ridge Cafe.”
Stubbs said the decision to provide the truck was made before the two devastating fires at Tongariro National Park last year.
Swift said an AWD truck would not have made a difference in that instance because crews accessed the fire from the road and no trucks went off-road.
“While we might be first on scene, when it comes to vegetation fires, the specialist rural brigades who respond to these types of incidents have 4WD utes and smaller AWD trucks that are more effective off-road – vegetation fires are their speciality,” she said.
The brigade was used as a trial station for the prototype of the new truck a few years ago.
The trial period meant the crew was already familiar and competent with the truck but a recent weekend of training was a necessary refresher, Swift said.
Stubbs said the station’s former 2WD truck would go to another station but it had not yet been decided which one.
“Fire and Emergency New Zealand is implementing a long-term investment plan to replace trucks, as well as investing in maintenance and repairs to the current fleet,” Stubbs said.
“Our firefighting truck fleet is an important asset and Fire and Emergency is investing more than $20 million per year over the next three years upgrading the fleet.”
Swift said it had been worth the wait to receive the new “state-of-the-art” truck.
“It’s a really amazing truck and we feel very lucky to have it,” she said.
“With the mountain roads, ski area and Iwikau Village on our doorstep, we’re confident we will put it to good use.”
Fin Ocheduszko Brown is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.
