Flash new look for firefighters

Being mistaken for Police officers should be a thing of the past with the introduction of new shirts for firefighters.

Internal Affairs Minister, George Hawkins, says the New Zealand Fire Service’s existing light blue shirt and shoulder patch will be replaced by a dark blue shirt and new shoulder patch bearing the words ‘Fire Rescue’.

The change should help differentiate the Fire Service from Police, Mr Hawkins said.

“Police have an enforcement role and cases of mistaken identity between the two services can hamper firefighters’ community safety work,” Mr Hawkins said.

Firefighters were proactive in the community, from installing smoke alarms in homes, cutting road accident victims from cars, to assisting with storms, floods and other rescue work.

“Firefighters have found some communities are confused by the light blue shirt they currently wear, and they have sometimes been mistaken for Police officers.”

Operational firefighters will wear 100 per cent, heat resistant cotton shirts, while the shirts of non-operational uniformed staff will be made from poly cotton material.

The shirts will be supplied by Albion Clothing in Christchurch

The move to the new shirts will be phased in on an ‘as required’ basis. It is expected all firefighters will be wearing the new shirts within two years.

© Scoop Media