The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Lake Ōkareka prepares for a state of the art fire station

Leah Tebbutt
By Leah Tebbutt
Multimedia Journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
28 May, 2019 07:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Descendant from Tuhourangi blesses the site of the new station on behalf of local iwi

As a steady stream of rain soaked into the land, a gathering of firefighting personnel blessed the spot set to house the new Lake Ōkareka Fire Station.

It marked the end of a four-year planning project and the beginning of a new journey for the station, which will be the first of its kind, with state of the art equipment.

The current station is a wooden shed missing bathroom and kitchen facilities which chief fire officer Phil Muldoon says is just the beginning.

"When we train in here and we have 10 guys we can't all fit in the office so we have to stand outside," Muldoon said.

"And we have to pull the trucks out for when we get changed to go to a call out. It is not a safe structure."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Although the Ōkareka brigade is only 10 minutes from central Rotorua, Muldoon said 10 minutes is a long time when a fire starts just outside Rotorua, making the brigade's existence necessary.

An artist's impression of the new Ōkareka Fire Station, which is expected to open next year. Image / Supplied
An artist's impression of the new Ōkareka Fire Station, which is expected to open next year. Image / Supplied

In 2017 when Fire and Emergency formed, the Government set its agenda to address the "rural fire gap" and board chairman Paul Swain said it was not long before the Ōkareka station was identified as a priority.

"The people here are not going to know themselves."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Big enough for three different trucks and an all-purpose training room are just some of the luxuries the 384sq m station will offer.

"There is also a decontamination area so you don't contaminate the rest of your station when you come back and washrooms so there is no chucking gear in with the washing machine at home, because that is not really on any more.

"And exhaust extractors so when the truck goes out is it not belching stuff as it goes out the door."

Fire and Emergency New Zealand board chair Paul Swain getting dirty at the turning of the sod. Photo / Supplied
Fire and Emergency New Zealand board chair Paul Swain getting dirty at the turning of the sod. Photo / Supplied

Scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2020, the station is part of a major programme to rebuild, upgrade and relocate fire stations across the country.

Discover more

New Zealand

Nine fire crews fighting blaze at Lumbercube Mill, Rotorua

29 May 06:22 AM

When it asked what the expected cost is, the Rotorua Daily Post was told it was commercially sensitive although a considerable investment for the community.

The station is made up of roughly 28 volunteers and while only a quarter of them could attend the blessing, Swain thanked them for their dedication.

"Their job is mainly to make sure that our communities are safe, protected and there in times of need.

"There is going to be a bigger emphasis on vegetation fires and floods [due to climate change]. We have to be prepared for these new things coming at us and this new station will be well placed to do that."

Lake Ōkareka incident attendance
Structure fires: 8
Vegetation fires: 24
Other fires: 10
Heat/pressure incidents: 1
Medical: 2
Special service calls: 1
Public assistance: 2
Vehicle accident: 5
False alarm: 3
Total incidents: 56
- May 1, 2018 to April 30, 2019

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

Napier woollen yarn producer to close, 26 job losses

09 Jul 10:31 PM
Opinion

Opinion: Why crop protection products need protecting

09 Jul 10:30 PM
The Country

Gisborne port handled 233k tonnes of logs, despite rough weather

09 Jul 10:15 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Napier woollen yarn producer to close, 26 job losses

Napier woollen yarn producer to close, 26 job losses

09 Jul 10:31 PM

Design Spun had hoped to keep its mill running in Napier but that was 'not achievable'.

Opinion: Why crop protection products need protecting

Opinion: Why crop protection products need protecting

09 Jul 10:30 PM
Gisborne port handled 233k tonnes of logs, despite rough weather

Gisborne port handled 233k tonnes of logs, despite rough weather

09 Jul 10:15 PM
What makes a bull worth $161,000?

What makes a bull worth $161,000?

09 Jul 10:05 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP