With all the changes and different groups involved in fire and rescue these days, I thought I would take the opportunity to explain where we come from and where we fit in to the system.
Lake Okareka Fire is a purely volunteer unit primarily established to serve the fire fighting and emergency needs of the Lake Okareka community. All the personnel involved are totally unpaid - and it really is “a labour of love”.
We came into existence in 1983. After a house fire on the peninsula highlights the length of time it took for the fire brigade to arrive from town. We started off with a water portable pump - which we still own - and Forestry hose jacks, courtesy of Forest Service, which were carried on a car trailer. Through fundraising and volunteer labour, we built the fire station and increased our equipment to include high volume trailer pump and an International 4WD fire truck, ex Forest Service, which was basically a small tanker fitted with a portable pump. In 1990, with the increased amount of equipment and a view to water reticulation, we decided to purchase an additional vehicle. After much fundraising (and soul searching!), we bought the Toyota Landcruiser purpose built fire appliance (ex Osaka City, Japan).
With the creation of the National Rural Fire Authority, a Division of New Zealand Fire Service, rural fire fighting took on a new aspect. Before we registered with NZFA, there was much discussion and negotiation. The outcome was that we gained a better fire truck – the Ford D600, insurance and ACC cover, financial assistance with equipment purchases and running costs, improved training and more support from NZFS and local authorities. Our operational area was increased to cover Tarawera Road from the top of Lewis Hill to the Buried Village. We are on automatic call out from Hamilton Fire Control Headquarters and our 2 senior officers are also on pager call out.
Our responsibilities are to respond to any sort of emergency in our area – fires, traffic accidents, slips, fallen trees, flooded properties, etc – in the same way as NZFS from town. Being local, we are the first response unit(s) and we work in exactly the same way as New Zealand Fire Service. In fact, in a major emergency we could be called out of our area to assist NZFS or Civil Defence. We are equipped to deal with most situations even to having persons trained in First Aid and the use of breathing apparatus.
I believe that we have come a long way since our humble beginnings and a great deal of the thanks for that must go to the community who have had faith in us all along and put their hands in their pockets when needed. Remember we are there to help you when you have a problem – so don’t be afraid to call us out – it doesn’t cost you anything (so long as you’ve done everything right!) and it could cost you a lot of money if your small problem becomes a big one before you call for help.
Dave Field – Chief Fire Officer, Lake Okareka Fire
Lake Okareka Fire is a purely volunteer unit primarily established to serve the fire fighting and emergency needs of the Lake Okareka community. All the personnel involved are totally unpaid - and it really is “a labour of love”.
We came into existence in 1983. After a house fire on the peninsula highlights the length of time it took for the fire brigade to arrive from town. We started off with a water portable pump - which we still own - and Forestry hose jacks, courtesy of Forest Service, which were carried on a car trailer. Through fundraising and volunteer labour, we built the fire station and increased our equipment to include high volume trailer pump and an International 4WD fire truck, ex Forest Service, which was basically a small tanker fitted with a portable pump. In 1990, with the increased amount of equipment and a view to water reticulation, we decided to purchase an additional vehicle. After much fundraising (and soul searching!), we bought the Toyota Landcruiser purpose built fire appliance (ex Osaka City, Japan).
With the creation of the National Rural Fire Authority, a Division of New Zealand Fire Service, rural fire fighting took on a new aspect. Before we registered with NZFA, there was much discussion and negotiation. The outcome was that we gained a better fire truck – the Ford D600, insurance and ACC cover, financial assistance with equipment purchases and running costs, improved training and more support from NZFS and local authorities. Our operational area was increased to cover Tarawera Road from the top of Lewis Hill to the Buried Village. We are on automatic call out from Hamilton Fire Control Headquarters and our 2 senior officers are also on pager call out.
Our responsibilities are to respond to any sort of emergency in our area – fires, traffic accidents, slips, fallen trees, flooded properties, etc – in the same way as NZFS from town. Being local, we are the first response unit(s) and we work in exactly the same way as New Zealand Fire Service. In fact, in a major emergency we could be called out of our area to assist NZFS or Civil Defence. We are equipped to deal with most situations even to having persons trained in First Aid and the use of breathing apparatus.
I believe that we have come a long way since our humble beginnings and a great deal of the thanks for that must go to the community who have had faith in us all along and put their hands in their pockets when needed. Remember we are there to help you when you have a problem – so don’t be afraid to call us out – it doesn’t cost you anything (so long as you’ve done everything right!) and it could cost you a lot of money if your small problem becomes a big one before you call for help.
Dave Field – Chief Fire Officer, Lake Okareka Fire
FIRE PERMITS
ALL GARDEN & RUBBISH FIRES
IN
LAKE OKAREKA, REQUIRE A PERMIT
FROM
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
PHONE 346-1155 normal office hours
THIS APPLIES ALL YEAR ROUND
BBQ’s and FIRES in “incinerators” with a lid, do not require a permit
BUT must be supervised at ALL times
ALL GARDEN & RUBBISH FIRES
IN
LAKE OKAREKA, REQUIRE A PERMIT
FROM
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
PHONE 346-1155 normal office hours
THIS APPLIES ALL YEAR ROUND
BBQ’s and FIRES in “incinerators” with a lid, do not require a permit
BUT must be supervised at ALL times
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