G’day All,
As I write this article your LOCAL VOLUNTEER fire brigade has reached a point of CRISIS. For the first time in our 17-year history, we are down to the minimum legal number of members that we must have in order to operate. I have deliberately emphasised "local" and "volunteer" because that is exactly what we are. Our existence depends upon the support of the Okareka community and donations.
Sure, it has been a quiet winter for us, but now we are approaching the summer fire season, and who knows what the weather will be? A long, hot summer could well see the outbreak of any number of bush fires and other such incidents. Apart from the personal distress of a house fire or the trauma of a motor vehicle accident, those of us who have lived in the community for some time know what an ugly scar any size of fire creates in our beautiful environment.
As the local volunteer fire brigade, we are the people who are first on the spot, and we can stop a small incident from turning into a major event. But to do this, we need people—and people who are trained to do things safely.
We can provide the training and the safety gear, but YOU—the community of Okareka—are the only ones who can provide the people. So long as you are over 16—male or female—you can give something back to the community you have chosen to live in and belong to.
We meet at the fire station, behind the Okareka Store, every Wednesday night at 7.30pm.
We desperately need another 5 people, so give it a go—it’s not hard, it is very rewarding, and it doesn’t cost you anything.
So what happens if we drop below the minimum legal staffing level? That’s easy to answer. We will be disestablished—that is to say, we will no longer be allowed to operate or exist. So then, when you call 111, the fire truck from town will probably get to you in 15–20 minutes, always assuming that they are not working at some other incident in the city or Rotorua district.
During that time, your little fire will have become a major incident with much greater loss and trauma to all involved. These are facts, not scaremongering. So please think really hard about our plight and what you can do to help.
Dave Field, Chief Fire Officer, Okareka VRFB
Did you know that once a fire starts going, it doubles every minute? So 20 minutes is a long time to wait. Probably your house! ed
As I write this article your LOCAL VOLUNTEER fire brigade has reached a point of CRISIS. For the first time in our 17-year history, we are down to the minimum legal number of members that we must have in order to operate. I have deliberately emphasised "local" and "volunteer" because that is exactly what we are. Our existence depends upon the support of the Okareka community and donations.
Sure, it has been a quiet winter for us, but now we are approaching the summer fire season, and who knows what the weather will be? A long, hot summer could well see the outbreak of any number of bush fires and other such incidents. Apart from the personal distress of a house fire or the trauma of a motor vehicle accident, those of us who have lived in the community for some time know what an ugly scar any size of fire creates in our beautiful environment.
As the local volunteer fire brigade, we are the people who are first on the spot, and we can stop a small incident from turning into a major event. But to do this, we need people—and people who are trained to do things safely.
We can provide the training and the safety gear, but YOU—the community of Okareka—are the only ones who can provide the people. So long as you are over 16—male or female—you can give something back to the community you have chosen to live in and belong to.
We meet at the fire station, behind the Okareka Store, every Wednesday night at 7.30pm.
We desperately need another 5 people, so give it a go—it’s not hard, it is very rewarding, and it doesn’t cost you anything.
So what happens if we drop below the minimum legal staffing level? That’s easy to answer. We will be disestablished—that is to say, we will no longer be allowed to operate or exist. So then, when you call 111, the fire truck from town will probably get to you in 15–20 minutes, always assuming that they are not working at some other incident in the city or Rotorua district.
During that time, your little fire will have become a major incident with much greater loss and trauma to all involved. These are facts, not scaremongering. So please think really hard about our plight and what you can do to help.
Dave Field, Chief Fire Officer, Okareka VRFB
Did you know that once a fire starts going, it doubles every minute? So 20 minutes is a long time to wait. Probably your house! ed
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