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October 2012 / Issue 84
Fire in
the hold
Plus
FIre-ambO hybrId
recruIts dO the hard yards

the new zealand FIre servIce new cOmmIssIOner
Fire+Rescue is the flagship
publication of the New Zealand
Fire Service.
It is produced by Media,
Promotions and Communications,
National Headquarters,
Level 9, 80 The Terrace, Wellington.
cOntrIbutIOns tO FIre+rescue
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and events that would be of interest to
other Fire Service staff and volunteers.
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on 04 496 3702.
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reproduced without the permission
of the editor.
ISSN: 1176-6670 (Print)
ISSN: 1177-8679 (Online)
FrOnt cOver
Fishing boat fire fighting in Lyttelton.
Photo: Fairfax Media/The Press.
2 / Fire+Rescue / October 2012
The Fire Service Commission
has a new member, former Area
Commander and current Deputy Mayor
of Whanganui, Rangi Wills.
nhQ Future-prOOFIng
National Headquarters is getting
a makeover that will make it
safer in an earthquake and improve
its use as the NZFS disaster response
coordination centre.
The Fire Service has had its headquarters in
the AXA Centre on The Terrace in Wellington
for the past decade. When the landlord
decided to upgrade some of its services this
gave NZFS the opportunity to do some
future-proofing of its own as well as
consider where the headquarters should be
sited and what facilities were needed.
After looking at other Wellington offices,
the best and most cost-effective option
identified was to stay in the AXA Centre
and refurbish the office space. This work
will begin later this year and includes
setting up a properly equipped area that
can be quickly transformed into an
emergency National Coordination Centre.
This will include technology that links the
Fire Service with region Emergency
Operation Centres, the hazmat/command
units and other agencies such as Police,
Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency
Management, and the National Crisis
Management Centre in the Beehive.
He replaces Bob Francis, whose term is
expiring.
Rangi Wills took early retirement from the
Fire Service in 1995 after a 34-year career.
He served in Whanganui, Wellington, Hutt
Valley, New Plymouth and Gisborne and
spent six years as Director of Planning and
Operations for the NZFS Commission.
Apart from his Council responsibilities,
Mr Wills serves on many community
boards and committees. He has also
served on the Whanganui District Health
Board and is a former member of the
New Zealand Casino Control Authority.
He said he was delighted and honoured
with the appointment and is looking
forward to taking up his role in November.
“This communications technology will
drive inter-agency operability and make
better use of intelligence – which was one
of the learnings that came out of our
experience in Christchurch,” said Chief
Executive Paul Baxter.
“Our Christchurch experience also taught
us the importance of organisational
resilience. NHQ, as well as fire stations,
have an important role in our overall
response capability.”
The upgrade will include work to improve
seismic resilience and the computer
servers will be moved off site.
“We will also shift to the modern working
environment and have fully open plan
offices, including my own. Fewer walls will
help communication and support our drive
for a more collaborative and consistent
way of working,” he said.

news
from the top
editorial
As we head into October, the transition to the new region structure is well
underway and the different parts of the organisation are getting on with
putting the renewed emphasis on efficiency, effectiveness and accountability
into effect.
We have always set goals for our
national, regional, area and station
performance but we are now putting
more time and attention into how
we set those goals and how we measure
our success in meeting them. The
New Zealand Fire Service needs to
know, and show, that the work we do in
communities is making a difference and
that we make the best possible use of
public funds to do it.
I acknowledge that there is a certain
amount of upheaval involved with the
transition. However, I am impressed that
most people are doing their best to get
on with their day job as well as keep up
with the changes that are needed. I’ve
been out meeting people in the regions
and hearing a few grumbles here and
there but, overall, the commitment to
the job shines through. Staff are
managing to find work-arounds or keep
up with the old systems while we shift to
the new. If you do strike something
that you are unable to solve that is
linked to the transition in some way,
please bring it to a senior manager’s
attention. It’s going to take a combined
effort to make this project come to life
and endure as a success.
Fire ServiceS review
The Government’s review of fire services
is now underway. This review is
something we have been discussing with
Government for several years and we
support it wholeheartedly. There is a
significant disconnect between the
service we provide today and what our
Act empowers us to do. There are also
anomalies between those who pay for
our service via the Fire Service Levy and
those who receive our services. It will be
good to get more clarity on our functions
and funding. We’ve already held some
preliminary meetings with the review
panel and will be making a formal
submission that pulls together all our
thoughts on how the organisation can be
better positioned to provide fire and
other emergency services to the public.
Major incident
analySiS
At a recent AFAC (Australasian Fire and
Emergency Service Authorities Council)
forum we spent time talking about how
much review and analysis now takes
place following major emergency events
and the pressure this puts on
organisations. While the work to
examine the response to disasters such
as the Christchurch earthquake is
incredibly demanding on staff, each
review provides an opportunity to learn.
NZFS is using the findings from its
earthquake response reviews to bring in
a range of changes. In particular, we are
using what we’ve learned to power-up
our focus on incident management.
We are introducing more incident
management training for executive
officers and I have just contracted an
Australian specialist to start work on a
five-year strategy to build up our
capability in this area. The broader
review of the Civil Defence Emergency
Management response to the
Christchurch earthquake is due out
shortly and we hope this too will be
helpful in fine tuning our emergency
response.
Paul Baxter
Chief Executive & National Commander
Fire+Rescue / October 2012 / 3

feature
All hands to
the pumps
Every available appliance in and around Christchurch was needed to tackle the
recent fire on board a ship in Lyttelton’s dry dock.
Any ship fire, poses significant
hazards and tactical challenges to
firefighters. This incident was no
exception and the problems were
compounded by leaking ammonia fumes.
Late afternoon on 29 August, Lyttelton
Chief Fire Officer Mark Buckley got the call
to a fire on a fishing boat at the port. As he
headed to the station, he could see the
smoke coming up from the dry dock and
immediately asked for the call to be
escalated to a third alarm.
“We could smell the ammonia in the air
when we arrived, so set up Lyttelton’s two
pumps a good 150 metres away from the
ship and started boundary cooling –
directing water over the hull and foredeck,”
said Mark.
4 / Fire+Rescue / October 2012
Within minutes additional appliances and
the command unit from Christchurch
arrived and the executive officers linked up
with Mark and the ship’s engineers to
carefully plan the operation to extinguish
the fire which was below deck in the bow of
the boat.
“We took the time to get the best
information and advice from the engineers
and worked out a three prong attack,” said
Mark who took on the operations role.
First, a crew was sent from the stern into
the boat to close the watertight doors and
isolate the fire. From scaffolding, around
three storeys high, firefighters cut a hole in
the side of the ship to give them direct
access to the seat of the fire. The final
move was to lift the hatch off the top of
the bow to allow the fire to vent upwards.
Then it was a matter of keeping the
exterior cool, and dousing the flames by
directing the hoses in through the hole and
attacking it from the wet deck of the ship.
Christchurch Senior Station Officer
Dave Stackhouse took charge of the stern
(rear) sector.
“To close the bulkhead doors, the ship’s
engineer guided our crew down three
decks and through the smoke logged
corridors. It was like going down a
chimney. They used the delivery as a
lifeline and a thermal imaging camera to
keep them on track,” he said.

It was the first time the Christchurch crews
used the new, long duration BA and the
gear got quite a workout that night. Crews
from 20 appliances were working at the site
and anyone near the ship needed to wear
BA to avoid the ammonia fumes. Dave said
entry control was critical as there were a lot
of hazards inside and outside the ship.
“They have aluminium ladders, the
passages are a rabbit warren and easy to
get lost in and so on. But we had good
procedures and managed the risk.”
Assistant Area Commander Steve
Kennedy took on incident command and
said bringing the ship’s engineers and
others who knew the ship into the
operation response planning was crucially
important.
“They helped us navigate through the ship,
explained the layout, told us where to cut
the hole in the side, provided gear for us to
use and so on.”
Region Manager Trevor Brown said
“This was a complex incident and really
stretched our Christchurch resources.
Every career station and several volunteer
brigades were needed. It was a very well
led incident and it was impressive to see
the full response in action.”
Trevor said there will be an operational
review and he’s hoping the incident will be
used as a scenario for the new Blue Card
command and control training being
introduced to the Fire Service.
Scenes from the Ocean Breeze incident ground.
PHOTOS: AARON CAMPBeLL-KOBeLL LTD
feature
secOnd tIme
arOund
For some Christchurch
firefighters, the Ocean
Breeze fire was a practice run for
the fire on board another fishing
boat a few weeks later.
The Amaltal Columbia caught
fire about 60 kilometres off the
Canterbury coast and for Assistant
Area Manager Dave Berry and
Lyttelton Chief Fire Officer Mark
Buckley there was an element of
déjà vu.
Both had worked on the Ocean
Breeze fire and late in the night
of 11 September they were out
on a pilot boat with Area Manager
Greg Crawford heading out to the
Amaltal Colombia as it was being
towed into port.
The boat had been abandoned at
sea after fire ripped through its fish
meal processing deck.
“We went out to meet it so we
could plan our tactics for dealing
with the fire once it got into
Lyttelton,” said Dave.
Once again, crews donned the long
duration BA and tackled the fire
using water deliveries and switched
to foam once they came across
piles of packaging cartons.
“We were lucky the pumps were still
operating so our firefighting water
could be pumped out,” said Dave.
It took the team until around 5am
to bring the fire under control and
another day before the hot spots
were dealt to.
But, like the Ocean Breeze, it was
a good save. The two boats were
worth about $60 million each to
replace.
Fire+Rescue / October 2012 / 5

FIre-ambulance
Collaboration
The country’s ambulance services and NZFS have always worked closely
together to provide the best possible results for the patient and the public.
This collaboration has become more important as clinical care becomes more
technically demanding.
Director of Operations and Training
Paul McGill said St John is now the
only provider of first aid training for
the Fire Service and this relationship has
given both agencies a better
understanding of each other’s operations.
“It also means we get the most up-to-date
and informed training possible,” he said.
“Last year we attended 6,000 medical call
outs, which is 9 percent of our incidents.
This number has almost doubled over the
past decade. As a result of this growing
need for our assistance, we collaborate
closely with Wellington Free Ambulance
and St John on our response.” This extends
to looking at whether the Fire Service
should share its site with other emergency
services, particularly ambulance stations,
when building new stations. This colocation
can make better use of public
money and encourages a team approach
to emergency responses.
St John recently changed its system for
prioritising its response. St John now
dispatches the nearest available resource
to all life-threatening and time-critical
emergencies. This means Fire Service
brigades and career stations are more
likely to be co-responded to cardiac or
respiratory arrests in the future, and less
likely to be dispatched to other less
serious emergencies.
“This makes sense as it reflects our
abilities and our availability but also takes
into account the need to make the best
use of our volunteers’ time,” said Paul.
6 / Fire+Rescue / October 2012
St John Operations Director Michael
Brooke said “Today the health sector faces
some real challenges and to meet those
challenges, St John is adapting its service
delivery model so we can continue to
serve our communities well. As part of
this we are working with the Fire Service
on improving ways to work together,
particularly in rural areas,” he said.
Fire-ambulance vehicle
As part of this, there has been mounting
interest in developing a prototype Fire
Service vehicle that can be both a fire
appliance and an ambulance.
“It’s an incredibly challenging design to
come up with and we are working with St
John on it at the moment. The prototype
will be developed using an Iveco van that
arrives in the country in November,” said
Paul McGill.
The intent is for the prototype to be tested
and trialled in a carefully managed process
by brigades that have been trained to the
first response standard of patient care.
“Our intent is for patients to be treated in
the rear compartment and, when
necessary, transport them to meet an
ambulance or take them to further medical
or hospital care. We see this type of vehicle
being used in parts of the country where
there is no ambulance but where we have
a brigade that is trained as a first response
unit.” NZFS currently has 37 brigades that
operate as first response units for medical
emergencies.
Vehicle Development Manager Paul Blane
is heading up the design project.
“The Iveco van is similar to the Iveco LRV
(Light Response Vehicle). It’s big, and at
about seven metres long it is about the
same length as a Type I appliance and it
has a seven tonne weight capacity. We are
designing a body that will have a twoperson
cab at the front, the pump and fire
equipment storage in the middle and the
rear will be a single stretcher ambulance
with seating for two more crew members.
The vehicle will also be fitted with a water
tank,” he said.
Paul and the NZFS team (John Sutherland
and Chris Walbran) are working closely
with St John who are designing the
ambulance compartment.
“Our focus is on making the pumping and
firefighting equipment capability work. It is
an incredibly complex design to come up
with so we’ve started from scratch and are
doing it step by step.”
The design is likely to take several more
months, with the finished vehicle expected
to be on the road in the middle of next year.
Above: Vehicle Development Manager Paul Blane.

Below: A mockup of what the fire-ambulance might look like.
Bottom: A concept drawing of the interior showing the possible layout with
the cab at the front, the pump and equipment storage compartment in the
middle and the stretcher in the rea with the water tank under the floor.
Fire+Rescue / October 2012 / 7

Midwinter
wildfire
RELATIVE HUMIDITY (%)
RelAtive huMiDity AnD teMpeRAtuRe
100
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
8 / Fire+Rescue / October 2012
-6
06 12 18 06 12 18
20 JULY 2012 21 JULY 2012
OBSERVED SCREEN AIR TEMPERATURE OBSERVED SCREEN RELATIVE HUMIDITY
Extremely rare, mid-winter
climate and weather conditions
combined for a few hours
in July to create the perfect
environment for a fast and
furious North Otago wildfire.
On Friday 20 July at around 3.30pm
a farmer set fire to stubble in a
paddock. He had a permit and it
was a controlled burn.
What no one realised was that in the few
hours leading up to the farmer striking his
first match, the relative humidity had
plummeted. Heavy frosts had already
sucked all the moisture out of the grasses
and other fine fuels and a light wind was
stirring. It was a recipe for disaster.
36
34
32
30
28
26
24
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
Within a short time the fire had blown over
the paddock, jumped the fire break
between the adjoining farm and was on its
way. Over the next 24 hours it burned
through 1,500 hectares of land, destroyed
two plantations, ruined 20 kilometres of
fencing and killed stock.
TEMPERATURE
Dunedin Principal Rural Fire Officer
Graeme Still was in his woolshed at
5.45pm on the Friday, when he got a call
from the local rural fire officer who told
him he was needed.
“It was a real surprise to hear the fire had
got out of control.” It made more sense
when he took readings at the fire and from
the local weather stations.
Graeme Still
“At the farm, the relative humidity was 35-
36, the temperature was around 18-19
degrees and the wind was blowing at about
28 kilometres an hour.”
A graph from nearby Middlemarch
weather station showed that the relative
humidity took a massive dive shortly before
midday on 20 July and dropped even
further overnight.
“This gave us the same sort of fire
conditions you would expect on a hot
summer day,” he said.
Six helicopters were involved with the
incident, and 40 personnel, plus 4 x 4
smoke chasers and slip-on units. The
wildfire was contained by 4.00pm on
Saturday 21 July.
PHOTO: OTAgO DAILy TIMeS
National Rural Fire Officer Murray Dudfield
said NRFA’s partnership with NIWA on new
fire weather prediction software will help
avoid this type of situation. He says the
computer system draws on information
from around 200 weather stations. The
results will provide rural fire managers with
modelling that will forecast localised weather
conditions, potential daily fire behaviour, fuel
moisture conditions and potential fire
spread rates with much more accuracy.
The new system will be trialled this summer
before being officially rolled out.

ecruIt traInIng
what it really feels like
Attending any training course can by a bit daunting, but
when it involves your first exposure to smoke, flames and
working in the dark, it’s downright alarming.
Recently, four volunteer recruits from the Paraparaumu
Brigade completed their basic training at the National
Training Centre.
Nadine Hodge, Amelia Rae, Jo Ganc and Isaiah Smith
kept a brief diary of their experiences which will be used
by NZFS to give other recruits an idea of what it’s like.
From left:
Isaiah, 18, is an apprentice mechanic
and became interested after watching the
brigade practise hose drills one night.
amelia, 20, is an electrician and has workmates
who are firefighters.
nadine, 36, is an early years educator and
has wanted to be firefighter since she was eight
years old.
Jo, 40, is a Corrections officer and joined after
meeting the wives of two local brigade members
at a netball game. “I said I had always wanted to
do that so I was told to turn up to training on
Monday night!”
Fire+Rescue / October 2012 / 9

new recruIts
“an awesome week”
Here’s some of what
they experienced.
Friday
Nadine: Arrived in Rotorua. Hotel is nice.
Briefing with senior trainer after dinner
and met the rest of the recruits – 11
altogether (six men, five ladies). Reminded
about knowing our knots, so went to our
rooms to practise our knot tying.
Amelia: Worried about sleeping through
my alarm and wondering what the future
week had in store. A very nervous night
having no idea about what to expect.
Jo: Arrived a bit excited and unsure of
what I have got myself into! Met some of
the others and they are really nice. Met for
a briefing and still feeling unsure. Early
night to be bright and early in the morning.
Saturday
Jo: Arrived at the training centre and was
given a tour of the awesome facility. We
spend the second half of the day doing
hose drills. I felt good with that as we had
done lots of practice of the hose drills and
waterway equipment.
Amelia: Was such a relief as the day
progressed to find out the instructors were
really nice, good and thorough and patient.
First time having a ‘uniform inspection’.
Was glad I got my ironing right.
Nadine: Start of the day involved a parade
and how we are to present ourselves each
day followed by an hour in the classroom.
Isaiah: I fell over today when running out a
hose and hurt my knee. Our trainers are
really great.
10 / Fire+Rescue / October 2012
Sunday
Jo: Was good to have more hose drills and
then they brought out the ladders. OMG!
I was a bit nervous as I had a fear of heights,
then to be told that we had to wear a
harness was even more scary cos that
means a possibility of falling. But I bit the
bullet and went first to get it over with. Third
time up was without the harness, so even
though I wanted to be sick, I did it three
times and am no longer scared of that!
Isaiah: I strained a muscle and re-hurt
my knee on a ladder today. I’m afraid that
if I hurt myself too much I might not be
able to finish the training. I’ve been fighting
a cold and have lost my voice much to the
delight of the girls from my station who
think I talk too much.
monday
Nadine: Vegetation was the topic for
today. Morning started with theory in class
followed by making up forestry hoses into
pineapples and packing up a forestry kit.
Identification of tools and how they are
used correctly on the fire ground. We took
a drive over to the airport where we were
put into two crews to create a firebreak.
Blood, sweat and tears digging, raking and
creating a trench for a hose.
Jo: Bad weather meant it wouldn’t be as
much fun as it could be. Had a test that
was not as scary as I first thought it would
be. The rural fire trainers were very good
and it was a great day. Hard work tho
making the fire break. That was a killer!
tueSday
Amelia: Into the BATB (Breathing
Apparatus Training Building) today was
like a challenging obstacle course. Wearing
the BA cylinder made things difficult but it
was good. It reinforced everything our
tutors had been telling us about the
importance of working as a team and how
you need to communicate. If you don’t you
end up in there for longer.
Nadine: BA theory in class. Test, don,
start, re-commissioning repeated several
times. Shown inside the BATB with the
lights on and shown what we are to endure
wearing our BA set. Techniques/
manoeuvres are demonstrated by one of
the trainers through it. Only way I can
describe it is a mini army assault course
condensed into an average size lounge
area filled top to bottom with obstacles!
Jo: This was the most uncomfortable thing
I have done in my life. Small spaces, heat,
darkness and trusting in other people that
they know what they are doing by letting
us go through this. Small consolation was
that no one had died in there. I did not like
it and a small mishap in there sent me out
at speed, thinking that I do not want to do
this! After talking to the trainer about what
had gone wrong, went for afternoon tea,
only to come back and find out that we had
to go back in! This time it was with
partners, so I was lucky to have someone
that I trusted and knew that he was
confident in the task. So YAY me got
through ALIVE thanks to Matt!
WedneSday
Nadine: Our first exercise today was going
through the BATB in crews carrying a
70mm coiled hose using each other to
complete the course carrying it through.
The remainder of the day featured search
and rescue. We were taken over to a house
and shown how to search thoroughly
around rooms using your hands and hose.
After lunch we carried out several search
and rescues on the upper level of the BATB
which is set out like an apartment. We
learnt how to use the hose on door entry

and how to enter. The trainers were
observing how we searched and
communicated between crews. Techniques
were practised on removal of patients
which was sometimes a challenge.
Amelia: Today was a bit harder than
yesterday. My shoulders were already sore
from the previous day so putting the BA set
onto sore shoulders wasn’t fun but straight
back into it and forgot about the weight of
the cylinder. It is really different not being
able to see due to the dark room and makes
searching techniques become vital.
Isaiah: This was a really hard day and after
coming through the BATB there were
some tears from some people and I almost
cried but as a guy not wanting to show my
feelings I stuck my head in a bucket of
water to cool myself off and get a grip.
thurSday
Nadine: This morning we sat in class for a
BA theory test. After morning tea we
travelled to Rotorua Fire Station where
they have the RFTB (Realistic Fire Training
Building). Again no time is wasted and BA
sets are ready to don and we are shown
around. Then the fire was lit and the
building started to heat up. We all donned
our BA and entered as a group to watch
the intensity of the fire and how quickly the
room filled with smoke. We practise
staying low and comparing the visibility
and heat levels.
Amelia: Today we went into the RFTB and
it was awesome! Absolutely enjoyed it.
Was great to experience real fire and what
its actually going to be like in a real house
fire. It really proved how well our gear
works which was reassuring for the future.
Jo: I was in a crew with Amelia who found
a ‘patient’ and we decided that I would get
the patient downstairs. We descend down
the stairs, Amelia guiding me down. At the
bottom of the stairs we get separated and
so head towards where I know the door is,
then got stopped and told that we have to
follow the hose out (makes sense!).
Dragging the patient around the bottom
floor is very hard work, the legs got stuck
round the corner and I am pulling this
heavy thing trying to get it out! Then my
crew is stuck behind me and we can’t
move. By this time I am exhausted from
dragging this patient in the heat and just
want to get it out. We get to the door and
my warning whistle goes off and PASS
alarm. Another crew member takes the
patient out and I am assisted out by my
crew and trainer. Was a little bit dramatic
but now I look back and laugh. Was just the
heat and physical exhaustion from
dragging the patient, I was fine really, after
I got all my gear off. Actually I think it was
my favourite day when I look back, maybe
not at the time though.
Isaiah: This was my favourite day of the
entire course and also the first time most
of us had experienced real live fire. It was
the hardest though. At the end of it my legs
felt like jelly and I was asleep as soon as
my head hit the pillow.
Friday
Amelia: Best water fight ever! It was a
blast literally. We were having smoko, next
minute sirens going and into the truck for
a drill. It was exciting and fun and then a
water fight trainees vs instructors. We got
them soaked! It was a good end to the
week. It was one of the most mentally and
physically challenging things I have done
but it was absolutely great. Thoroughly
enjoyed it and can’t wait to go back.
Training facilities were top notch and
instructors too!
Nadine: Morning session in the classroom
on extinguishers, Drills in the yard
extinguishing pot and oven fires and
flammable liquids. We were all assigned to
a truck and connected a water supply for a
hose drill. Not long after applying the water
we were soon having water applied to us
by the trainers who stood on top of the
trucks using the ground monitors,
completely drenching us. We retaliated
and got them wet too. It was the biggest
water fight I had ever had.
After drying off we went to the classroom
to sign off paperwork and give feedback on
the course. We then went to the drill yard
for our passing out parade and
presentation of our blue stripes. On that
final fall-out command, the feeling of relief,
exhaustion, pride and self-achievement
was quite overwhelming and brought tears
to my eyes.
It was one of the most challenging but
fulfilling weeks of my life!
Jo: Well, made it to day 7. The past week
has been an awesome week for me, I have
learned that I can still achieve my goal.
even at 40!
Isaiah: All through training that morning I
was sad I would leaving at lunchtime. But it
was with great pride that I received my
blue squares that meant I was now a
firefighter, no longer a recruit. I left with
mixed feelings.
To sum up the course as a whole, I would
have to say it was the most fun week of my
life. But at the same time the most
challenging. In all honesty I do not think I
would have made it, had I not been part of
such an awesome team, and had the best
instructors in the world. So thank you
everyone so, so much!
Fire+Rescue / October 2012 / 11

Changes in regions
Regions now have staff dedicated to NZFS fleet requirements, property maintenance, and planning
and performance. The changes have been made to allow Area Managers and Volunteer Support
Officers to better focus on their core roles.
Top: National Property Manager Kevin Stacey.
Above: Manager Injury, Illness and
Rehabilitation Alison Barnes.
12 / Fire+Rescue / October 2012
ProPerty
National Property Manager Kevin Stacey
said the obvious change to the way the
organisation manages its property is that
all buildings will now be managed as a
national asset and all Property staff will
report to NHQ .
Up until now, most people responsible for
fire stations and other buildings have not
had specific qualifications and there has
been no real consistency about funding
or scheduling of repairs or maintenance.
Each Region now has a dedicated Property
Coordinator who is responsible for
maintenance of stations and other buildings.
“As we move to the new structure,
all NZFS property is being surveyed and
a maintenance schedule planned and
programmed in. This survey will be
finished by the middle of next year.
We are also moving toward employing
pre-approved contractors. This means,
for example, that instead of getting
someone in to do one small painting job,
we will tender out the many painting jobs
that we know are coming up,” he said.
The Property staff will also be programming
in regular, routine maintenance, such as
servicing appliance doors. This will be done
systematically, rather than ad hoc or only
doing something when the doors don’t
open properly. This planning and
programming will result in fewer urgent,
and often costly, repairs.
“We have a lot of deferred maintenance
and it’s likely to take a couple of years to
catch up. But our intention is that all our
property will be well maintained and fit for
purpose,” said Kevin.
SaFety and wellbeing
Like the property function, the
organisation’s safety and wellbeing
strategy, standards, information and
tools will be developed centrally at NHQ.
The team of five Region Safety and
Wellbeing Coordinators will also be
managed centrally.
Manager Injury, Illness and Rehabilitation
Alison Barnes said “New tools and
supporting information will be developed
over time. Meanwhile, the upgraded
Accident and Event Reporting and
Investigation Kiosk on Firenet is already
proving to be much easier to use than the
old system. We want everyone to use the
Accident Kiosk to report any accident or
near miss. This will help us monitor trends
as well as make sure people are getting the
help and support they need,” she said.
Fleet
The Region Fleet Coordinators also work
out of the Region Service Centres and
report to the National Fleet Manager. They
will be working closely with region staff to
make sure they get what they need in the
way of red or white fleet vehicles.
The fleet budget (which covers the
whole country) has been finalised and the
team is now working on drafting their
business plan and transitioning to the
new region structure.

IntrOducIng…
the data miners
Want to know if your project with Plunket is driving down the fire
risk? Or has your station recycling project saved money as well as
helped the environment? The new Planning and Performance staff
in regions can help you find out.
Setting goals and measuring progress
against those goals is not new to the
Fire Service. But there is now a
greater emphasis on building up business
planning skills and capability to drive
efficiency and effectiveness.
As a result of the Region Restructure and
Realignment Project, NZFS now has
dedicated a Planning and Performance
team in each region. They are the Planning
and Performance Manager, a Planning and
Intelligence Officer and a Business Analyst.
They will work with the other Region staff
to drive business planning at a region, area
and station level.
This includes helping staff develop task
force plans, emergency response plans and
community risk reduction plans. They also
have a role in managing regions’ response
data and intelligence-gathering using our
own, and other agencies’, information.
Realignment Project steering committee
chairman Ian Pickard said “These people
have a talent for mining data and pulling
together information on which to base
forward planning. As an organisation,
we collect a wealth of data through SMS
and other systems. The Planning and
Performance teams will squeeze out every
ounce of useful information and use it to
drive new initiatives and improvements in
our operational efficiency and effectiveness.
They will also develop and use national
templates and processes to make sure
that all regions are working consistently
and share the benefits of their new insights
and better ways of working,” said Ian.
“As a Region Manager, I believe the
introduction of these new roles in the
regions will make a huge difference to the
way we work. With their input, we will be
able to better target our efforts to reduce
the fire risk in our communities. We will
also be better prepared to respond to
major emergencies.”
Region 2 Planning and Performance
Manager Donna Stemmer says
performance management has a bit
of a bad rap. “In reality it should be seen
as a way to give clarity to vague concepts.
Top: The new Planning and Performance Managers.
From left: Region 3 Lliam Munro, Region 2 Donna
Stemmer, Region 5 Neil Finn-House, Region 1
Paul Turner.
Above: Ian Pickard
We use planning and performance
measurement to create an environment
for success. For me, success is both
efficiency (doing things right) and
effectiveness (doing the right things).
We balance capability, availability and
dependability with cost. Our PPM team’s
role is to help translate, focus and align the
day-to-day actions that will help deliver on
the organisation’s vision – working with
communities to protect what they value.
Fire+Rescue / October 2012 / 13

success FOr
marae fire safety
A recent visit by staff to a
Kawhia marae led to some
significant changes.
Kawhia Chief Fire Officer Callan Stewart
began the initiative by taking information
on the NZFS Marae Fire Safety programme
to members of the Rakaunui marae
committee. He got a great reception.
The committee and Callan arranged for
Ma - ori Liaison Officer Lana Ngawhika and
Senior Fire Risk Management Officer Kevin
Holmes from Hamilton to visit Rakaunui to
provide the committee and marae trustees
with a Marae Fire Safety report.
Kevin and Lana made a number of
recommendations and a short time later
the trustees told them they had got stuck
in and made changes. They put up fire
action notices throughout the marae and
restricted the number of people who could
sleep in certain areas. They had also
arranged for annual checks of their
firefighting equipment, and begun storing
their mattresses in a separate room away
from the carved wharenui (meeting house).
The trustees also took up the Kawhia
Brigade’s offer to install smoke alarms in
all rooms used for sleeping, where there
was not already smoke detection.
The report also suggested ways the marae
firefighting water supplies could be
improved and the brigade has helped to
install a Fire Service-compatible coupling
to their bore.
“The marae is also developing evacuation
schemes for each building,” said Lana.
14 / Fire+Rescue / October 2012
Callan is full of praise for the marae
representatives. “While the installation of
permanent fire detection systems may still
be some time away, their interim steps are
highly commendable. They have most
definitely provided a higher level of
protection for the marae and their people.”
Even better news is that Rakaunui Marae is
not alone.
Ngatira Marae in Litchfield (South Waikato)
was visited by Lana as part of the Marae
Fire Safety programme back in June 2007.
“There was very little in the way of fire
detection or protection at that time, except
for several large fire extinguishers”.
She and Fire Risk Management Officer
Stu Cradock re-visited Ngatira again
recently and found some exciting changes
– including the installation of a full Type 7
fire alarm system.
InvestIture
Left: Rakaunui marae.
Above: CFO Callan Stewart and firefighter
Robyn Vincent at the marae.
“The marae trustees have completely
embraced the concepts of fire safety,”
said Stu. There was very little they could
add from the latest visit to update the
Marae Fire Safety report.
The marae now has a comprehensive
emergency management plan with action
notices displayed throughout all of its
buildings.
Lana was delighted. “It’s proof that our
Marae Fire Safety programme is making
a real difference – and helping our Ma - ori
communities to protect what they value.”
There are around, 1,100 marae throughout
the country. To arrange a fire safety survey
for a marae in your patch contact your
Regional Ma - ori Liaison Officer or Fire Risk
Management Officer.
The hard work and dedication of six volunteer firefighters was recently recognised
when they were presented with the Queen’s Service Medal by the Governor-General,
Sir Jerry Mataparae. From left: Woodville Chief Fire Officer Eric Bonny; former
Okaihau Chief Fire Officer Colin Thomas; Wellsford Chief Fire Officer Jim Bowmar;
retired Ashburton firefighter Allan McQuarters; Waiouru firefighter and former Officer
in Charge of Hutt Valley Fire Police Unit Major David Ackroyd; and Coromandel Chief
Fire Officer John Walker.

evacuatIOn
practIce
makes perFect
Staff at the Kaikohe ABC Childcare Centre
put their fire drill into practice when
mattresses in their ‘nap’ area caught fire.
Fire Risk Management Officer Lindsay
Murray said the six-monthly trial
evacuations really paid off.
“One of the adults saw the mattresses on
fire, set off the alarm and everyone went
out to the assembly point.”
He said it was a ferocious fire and the
assembly point, which was inside the
school fence, quickly became unsafe so
staff lifted the children over to get them
clear. The gate in the fence was locked and
the key was inside the burning school.
The fire investigation was done by Fire Risk
Management Officer Craig Bain who said it
was caused by a faulty light fitting.
Craig said there was one slight hiccup in
the evacuation. “The teacher was used to
carrying out the trial evacuation, where
they went to an office to get a key to set off
the alarm, and rather than smash the glass
panel, this is what they did.”
Below: The ABC fire marked the end of Lindsay
Murray’s career. He retired last month after 12 years
with the Fire Service. He is the Chief Fire Officer of
Kaeo Brigade and continues in that role. He’s been a
member of the brigade for 47 years.
Above: Lindsay Murray
a couple of minutes with
RON_Devlin
Q:
A:
Q:
A:
Q:
A:
Where are you stationed?
Region 2 HQ Tauranga
What’s your title?
Fire Region Manager Region 2
What’s been your progression
within the NZFS?
Joined in 1978 and served
mostly around Wellington Central
for about 20 years. During this time
I moved through the ranks to CFO.
Did a short stint as CFO of Taupo in
1998 before moving into the CFO
Tauranga role in the same year,
eventually being appointed as Area
Manager in 2009.
Q: Family?
A:
I have three daughters, Miranda,
Chloe, Chelsea and my partner
Deborah has a son Cameron.
Q:
What’s the one thing
that sticks in your mind
about the job?
We are a useful organisation
A: that does meaningful and
positive things for people. I have
always liked that.
Q:
If you could make one
change to the Fire Service
what would it be?
I think it would be really good
A: if our legislation supported and
reflected the true value the Service
adds to the public.
Q:
A:
Q:
Your most embarrassing
moment on the job?
Far too many to recount in this
minute.
What’s one thing people
would be surprised to learn
about you?
I have a 11.2 metre sailing boat
called the Union Jack, that I race.
A:
Favourite book?
Mad Bad and Dangerous to Know,
by Ranulph Fiennes
Favourite movie?
Guy Ritchie’s – Snatch
Favourite TV show?
Not a big TV fan, but I do enjoy
cooking shows and Grand Designs
Favourite music group?
Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones,
classic rock
Favourite sport
I enjoy playing golf
Favourite holiday destination?
Looking forward to Vietnam
next year
If I wasn’t in the Fire Service I’d be?
I really enjoy cooking, maybe
I would own a restaurant
Fire+Rescue / October 2012 / 15

FIreFIghters On the pIste
Weighed down with hose and structural firefighting suits, 22 firefighters raced up
and down Coronet Peak in the 2012 Chill Factor Challenge.
The teams of four were tasked with making as many ascents and descents as they
could on the slopes within a two-hour period. Their efforts raised more than
$8,400 for Queenstown charity the Bruce Grant Youth Trust.
Wanaka firefighter Caleb Hansen completed the fastest individual climb in 3min
22sec, while the Queenstown skiing team made 11 ascents and descents with a
hose and took first place in the team event.
This was the second year the event has been held, organised by Auckland Airport
firefighter Tony Scott. He intends it to be an annual event, held in the third week of
August, and hopes it will become the southern equivalent of the Sky Tower challenge.
“We had five more teams competing this year and have managed to raise over four
times what we raised last year. It is fantastic to see how much this event has grown.”
Tony said although the fire hose race was tricky, the firefighters had improved on
last year.
Below: Some of the Chill Factor competitors.
1-3 November
National 7 A-Side Soccer Tournament
Napier
Contact: tony.adie@fire.org.nz
2-3 November
Thames Volunteer Fire Brigade
125 year celebrations
Thames
Contact: Siobhan Flanigan
at siobhan.flanigan@fire.org.nz or
Shane Bromley 027 279 1071
9-10 November
National Snapper Fishing Tournament
Coromandel
Contact: dave.gunn@fire.org.nz or
027 232 1071
For the latest information on Fire Service sports events go to:
Firenet/Sports/upcomingsportsevents
14 November
NZFS National Mountain Bike
Championships
Nelson
14 November registration
15 November championship
16 November guided riding
Contact: nelsonfsmtbclub@gmail.com
25 November
National NZFS Triathlon
Championships
Napier
Contact: Brendon Lodge
hbmsc@xtra.co.nz
tOugh guys
Three Auckland firefighters have been taking out
the top titles in the Tough Guy and Gal Challenges
held around the country for the last few years.
The challenges involve a 12 kilometre run through
mud, obstacles and other difficulties.
Mangare’s Jacson Klutz, Otara station’s Josh
Harrison and Dan Van Hoppe from Papatoetoe
station are keen, competitive athletes who take on
(and regularly win) a range of different sporting
challenges, including the Sky Tower Challenge.
Most recently, they battled the Army, Navy, Air Force
and Police for the Services Trophy which they have
now taken home for the fourth year in a row.
Jacson said “For this event, all the services put in a
team of three and their collective times and placings
are scored to find the ultimate services team. The
competition is extremely tough and competitive.“
In that race, Jacson was placed second in the
individual men’s open, Josh was third and Dan 12th.
Above: Jacson Klutz tackles the muddy water at Linton
army camp.
4 December
Auckland Fire Service Golf Club
JAFFA Open
Waitakere Golf Club
Entries close 16 November
Contact: hayden.robinson@fire.org.nz
or 021 893 861
lyndon.bodger@fire.org.nz
10-12 May 2013
Feilding Volunteer Fire Brigade
125th Jubilee
Contact: John Bongenaar
Feilding Volunteer Fire Brigade
PO Box 444, Feilding
Ph 06 323 3942 or 021 701 110
feildingfire125jubilee@gmail.com
CReDIT: MARATHON-PHOTOS.COM