National claim 68 fire engines will be lost

The Fire Service was examining all its resources so it could develop an up-to-date delivery plan.

The National Party continued to insist today that the Government is planning to cut the number of fire engines in volunteer brigades around the country, despite a ministerial denial yesterday.

Nelson MP Nick Smith was the first to claim cuts were on the agenda and now National's internal affairs spokesman, Lindsay Tisch, says he has more leaked papers which show 68 firetrucks are at risk.

He said the Fire Service's fleet strategy paper, which sets out a review of the 800-vehicle fleet, said "appliance relocations and disposals will be inevitable".

Mr Tisch said the papers he had showed the Government was proposing to cut 68 fire engines from the volunteer fleet nationwide, and replace many others with smaller trucks.

"The papers show the registration number of each truck affected."

The minister responsible for the Fire Service, Mark Burton, said yesterday the Government did not have an agenda to reduce fire service coverage or appliances in rural areas or anywhere else.

He said the service was examining all its resources so it could develop an up-to-date delivery plan.

"The intended outcome of all of this will be a modern fire and rescue service with a much closer alignment between resources and need, which ensures that every community will receive at least an equal and preferably an improved level of service," he said.

- NZPA