Australian Fire Truck Ready For Service In Samoa

Australian Fire Truck Ready For Service In Samoa

An Australian fire truck is settling into its new home in tsunami devastated Samoa, after being officially handed over by the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) at a special ceremony held at the Apia Fire Station.

The fire truck was delivered to Samoa earlier this week by the Royal Australian Navy’s heavy landing ship HMAS Tobruk as part of a large humanitarian consignment of goods donated by the Australian Government, Non-Government Organisations and the Australian public.

The keys to the $400,000 donated fire truck were handed over by Kevin Ottrey from the MFB to the Commissioner of Samoa’s Fire and Emergency Services, Tony Hill.

“It’s given the Fire Service a real big boost just to have this appliance here, particularly as the technology behind the appliance is far greater than what we have at the moment”, Commissioner Hill said.

“We’re just looking forward to being able to be trained up by colleagues from the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade to teach us how to use this truck to its full capacity”.

Australia’s High Commissioner to Samoa, Matt Anderson said the fire truck has been named in honour of local Fire Fighter Peter Letiu who lost his life in the service of his country on the day of the tsunami.

The Samoan Minister for Police, Fire and Prisons, Toleafoa Faafisi thanked the Australian people for their generosity in assisting the Samoan people rebuild their lives after the devastating tsunami.

“It’s a need not only for our government but also for our people to have enough equipment like the truck and all those other things handed over today, we are very thankful Australia”.

The delivery of this relief package will bring the total assistance by the Australian Government, non government organisations and Australian communities to Samoa and Tonga to $13 million.

HMAS Tobruk has departed Samoa and is currently en route to the Tongan island of Niuatoputapu for the second phase of its relief operation.

ENDS