Lake Okareka Fire Force
  • Home
  • History
    • Okareka Fire Appliances
  • Info
    • Fire Restrictions & Permits
    • Safe Winter Driving
    • Smoke Alarms
    • GoodSAM
  • Volunteers
    • Committee
    • Volunteering
    • NZQA Qualifications
    • Study Guides
  • Incidents
    • 2021 - 2025
    • 2016 - 2020
    • 2011 - 2015
    • 2004 - 2010
  • Photos
  • Video
  • YES
  • Media
    • LOCA Articles
  • Donate
    • Sponsors
    • Supporters
  • Contact
    • Lake Okareka

Changes Loom For Rural Firefighters

29/4/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
TIME FOR CHANGE: A review found the New Zealand Fire Service in need of a makeover and the government is taking steps to proceed with changes. Photo: John Cosgrove
Rural fire forces and provincial volunteers will face change in the proposed shake-up of the New Zealand Fire Service.An independent review panel found the service in need of a makeover and the government is taking steps to proceed with changes.

The review, released earlier this year, made several recommendations. Among the problems it found was the rural fire forces’ mandate under current legislation stops at fire responses, despite the increasing practice of fire personnel turning out to non-fire emergencies.

Minister of Internal Affairs Chris Tremain confirmed last week Cabinet had agreed to the next step of the review policy.

While expected this month, no policy decisions had been made yet on the review’s recommendations, he said.

The next step was to modernise the fire service’s legal mandate and ensure effective and efficient service delivery and to begin the process of establishing stable and equitable funding, he said.

“Meantime, the department is still working through the recommendations one by one.”

Tremain hoped to take policy decisions to Cabinet in the next couple of months and planned to have legislation introduced to Parliament before the end of the year.

Under existing legislation the fire service has no legal obligation to attend non-fire emergency work.

Many of these services can be characterised as rescues and emergencies, such as motor vehicle extrications and decontamination of people exposed to hazardous materials.

The panel was concerned NZ communities expected firefighters to deliver these services and relied on them to do so.

The review found there were questions on whether firefighters could be held personally liable if something went wrong while they were carrying out non-fire duties.

Federated Farmers was talking to the Minister as he considered the recommendations and would be seeking members’ feedback before new legislation was released, policy adviser Nick Hanson said.

The review recommended establishing a register that made clear the emergencies the fire service attended and empowering the Fire Service Commission add or subtract from the register without legislation.

In practice the commission would discharge this function through the urban fire service, which includes small-town volunteer brigades.

In areas where the urban fire service was unable to respond in a timely manner because of geography the commission would be able to accredit appropriate bodies and fund their training.

The panel intends that accreditation would likely go to the local rural fire authority, which would have the right of first refusal in its given area, although other agencies, such as roading contractors, could be accredited.

The proposed shake-up of the fire service would also expand to the way it was funded.

The review panel recommended the service recover its costs of call-outs to fires and rescues and change the way it charges commercial property owner levies.

The commission is responsible for co-ordinating NZ’s 74 rural fire authorities taking in about 12,000 volunteers, who staff rural and urban fire stations in towns and small communities.

The commission plans through its Enlarged Rural Fire Districts programme to slash the 74 fire districts to fewer than 20 by mid-next year to cut costs and improve efficiency.

In 1995 there were 121 fire districts. to edit.
0 Comments

Total Fire Ban Lifted but Restricted Fire Season Applies for Rural Rotorua

15/4/2013

0 Comments

 
Rotorua District Council (RDC) is lifting the area’s total fire ban but a restricted fire season for rural Rotorua comes into effect from today Monday 15th April. 

The total fire ban has been in place across the entire Rotorua District since late January because of the extreme fire risk from the very dry conditions.

RDC acting principle rural fire officer Richard Horn said the total fire ban was being lifted as the current weather meant fire conditions were no longer extreme.

“However during the restricted fire period a fire permit is required in rural areas for all outdoor fires, such as vegetation, hangi and brazier fires.”

The restricted fire season runs through until the end of April.

Fire permits could be applied for at Rotorua District Council’s Civic Centre or by calling the council on 07 348 4199.

“A small incinerator, drum fire, hangi or brazier fire is allowed in urban areas during this time as long as they are used safely and considerately.”

Mr Horn thanked residents and visitors for their cooperation over the last few months. He said without this support there would have been many more fire related calls, more damage to property and potential risk to the population.

“As a result of residents’ cooperation during the last few very dry months it’s been a relatively safe period for everyone, so we’re appreciative that people have played their part. Well done Rotorua.”

0 Comments

Scrub Blaze Spotted in Time

12/4/2013

0 Comments

 
A Rotorua farmer about to leave home on a fishing trip was fortunate he went inside to get some water, otherwise he would not have seen flames closing in on his house.

The farmer, who did not want to be named, said the scrub fire came within 20m of his house but always thought his property would be safe.

Rural firefighters were called to the scrub fire about 20km from Rotorua on State Highway 30, on the way to Tokoroa, about 3pm yesterday.

It is not yet known what caused the fire but firefighters were still dampening down hotspots two hours after the blaze.

"I heard a couple of cracks that sounded like a .22 [being fired] so I didn't think about it.

"I was just about to go fishing and I went back inside to go get some water when I saw flames from the kitchen window coming up the side of the hill.

"Then the cracks got louder and it really took off. I was concerned it might get into the bigger trees, but it didn't."

The farmer said he would love to know what started the blaze as he had not been using his incinerator and there was no-one else on the property.

Meanwhile, the total fire ban across the Rotorua district is being lifted, but a restricted fire season for rural Rotorua comes into effect from Monday.

During the restricted fire period a permit is required in rural areas for all outdoor fires, such as vegetation, hangi and brazier fires. It runs until the end of April. A small incinerator, drum fire, hangi or brazier fire is allowed in urban areas.

Picture
Rural firefighters dampen down hot spots after a scrub fire came within 20m of a rural property near Atiamuri.
0 Comments

Big Cost To Breaching Fire Ban

10/4/2013

0 Comments

 
Rotorua residents are putting themselves in the firing line of up to $250,000 in firefighting costs by flouting the fire ban.

Despite some rain the total fire ban is still in place but the Rotorua Fire Brigade has been called out to at least three a day over the past week.

Fire safety officer Stu Bootten said these were only the fires that people had called in and there were bound to be more.

The total fire ban will be lifted on Monday but permits are still required to light a fire on private property. "The vegetation is still very dry and there needs to be a continued safety message," Mr Bootten said.

"The grapefruit sign is still reading high - that means people have to take responsibility if they light a fire. There was a fire lit in the Waikite Valley on Saturday, Rural Fire were there until Sunday and they've left it in the control of the farmer."

He said anyone who lights a fire that requires a fire callout of more than an hour will be billed and these costs can reach $250,000.

From Monday there will be a restricted fire season for the Rotorua district. This means a permit is required from the relevant fire authority - usually Rotorua District Council - to light a fire in the open air.

There are a number of restrictions to fires in the urban area. Fires need to be contained, preferably in an incinerator which has a lid or minimum of chicken wire to cover. The fire must be at least 5m from any boundary or building and there must be a firefighting medium, such as a garden hose, at hand. Anyone who lights a fire under a permit must watch the fire at all times and it must be out by dark.

"People either don't know [the ban remains] or they are flaunting the rules," Mr Bootten said.

The restricted fire season runs until the end of April.

Picture
The grapefruit sign is still showing a high risk of fire.
0 Comments

Rotorua Weekender: Project Opens Youth Eyes

8/4/2013

0 Comments

 
Teenagers Anna Wallace and Ikilua Apitai have been rescued from wild rapids, practised basic first aid and learnt how to put out raging fires - all part of learning how emergency services work in the community.

The pair, from Rotorua Lakes High School and Rotorua Boys' High respectively are part of a group of 15 young people taking on a pilot project through the Ministry of Youth Development called Youth in Emergency Services (YES). Both hope to one day be involved as frontline staff.

The group took part in basic training with St John Ambulance, the Rotorua Fire Service and Lake Okareka Rural Fire Force, Search and Rescue, Swift Water Rescue and Civil Defence, including both urban and land search and rescue scenarios.

Ikilua says he has always wanted to go into a career in a medical field - possibly nursing - but now he has taken on the St John part of the course he wants to train as a paramedic.

"It was such a good experience. We met new people and got the chance to see what the emergency services are like ... It really opened my eyes to what they do. I thought St John just went along and took people to hospital but they keep them alive. They do everything they can. I'd like to train as a paramedic."

Anna also found the course interesting, especially the experience of the welfare side of the different emergency services.

"I found the operational support just as important. They help to keep people away and keep staff hydrated. They look after everyone's welfare and try to make the job easier ... it really inspired me. I'm not sure what I'd like to do but I'd like to help people.

"This has given me options."

Both loved taking part in the swift water rescues on the Kaituna River.

"I know now how to protect myself and guide others out as well as avoid accidents.

"It was a lot of fun," Anna says.

The pair, along with the 13 other young people involved, are taking part in exercises at Tui Ridge this weekend before celebrating their success.

Each will graduate later in the month at a special ceremony.

Meanwhile, this is the first project of its kind in the world, says Ministry of Youth Development team manger central north Blair Gilbert.

The four-week pilot project is about getting young people involved and connecting with their community.

Every Saturday they have had training sessions with a different emergency service.

This will benefit them and potentially can lead to a career choice for the young person, Blair says.

"There are neat outcomes that can occur. The spin-offs are we need our young people to know more about emergency services.

"In the future there is the opportunity for them to be volunteers themselves.

"We need to prepare our young people to be on hand in an emergency like a flood, storm, earthquake or other civil emergency," he says.

"We have an ageing demographic and we have greater needs for emergency services ... it's about them being part of our community and taking part."

The emergency services sectors are very interested in the project, Blair says.

At this weekend's final training camp, the young people who took part will be supported to join an emergency service volunteer programme of their choice.

"There might not be a job there today for them but there could be.

"Volunteering they can be part of the community and learning new skills," he says.

Picture
Ikilua Apitai, 17, (left) and Anna Wallace, 16, learn basic St John First Aid on the Youth in Emergency Services (YES) pilot project being run in Rotorua.
0 Comments
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    October 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    October 2010
    December 2009
    June 2009
    January 2007
    April 2006
    January 2005
    May 1991
    December 1985

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.