Worries over fire services around Auckland

Warwick Briggs is worried the amalgamation of rural fire services may harm the services they provide to rural communities. Photo / Kellie Blizard

Firefighters fear the new Auckland regional authority slashing and burning rural fire services, largely manned by volunteers, which protect the outskirts of the city.

At present there are five rural fire districts in the region: Waitakere, Rodney, Franklin, Manukau and Great Barrier. Each has a Principal Rural Fire Officer who oversees the stations in their patch.

From November 1, the Auckland Transition Agency intends to merge the five districts into the Auckland Rural Fire Authority.

Colin Dale, who heads the agency's community services workstream, says one new Principal Rural Fire Officer will report to Civil Defence and emergency management in the new council chief executive's office. There will be four deputy PRFOs and recruiting will start in August.

Two of the present rural fire chiefs are concerned, pointing out that population growth means much of the region - such as Franklin - is now more urban than rural.

Warwick Briggs, chief of the Waitakere Rural Fire Force for four years and a volunteer firefighter for 15 years, is worried much of the new system has not been clarified.

"There's quite a bit of uncertainty. The main issue is that all rural fire forces want to retain the current services they provide to their communities. That is paramount."

Awhitu rural fire chief Howard Logan says the legislation for rural fire services is outdated.

"The bizarre situation now is these rural fire forces are in essence little fire brigades. What we have in New Zealand is an absolute hotchpotch."

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