Colville first in the country for new Smoke Chaser

Two sets of keys were handed over at the Colville School on Friday.

First, the Volunteer Rural Fire Force (VRFF) received its new Smoke Chaser Fire and Emergency First Response Vehicle, and then the fire force handed the school the keys to the now-former fire van.

The Smoke Chaser is the first of its kind in New Zealand, an Isuzu 4x4 twin cab ute fitted with a custom-designed plastic unit for rural fire first response. The plastic body is the first one of its type in New Zealand, with a fitted pump and hose reel, on-board water and the capacity to carry other portable pumps and rescue equipment for emergency response in the area.

With the narrow, winding, steep, and often-gravel roads in the northern end of the Coromandel, this new vehicle will give the Colville Volunteers the ability to significantly reduce their response times and provide a much better service to Colville and surrounding communities.

Coromandel-Colville Ward Councillor Tony Brljevich, officially handed the keys to foundation member and retiring Colville VRFF Chief Fire Officer Les Ward.

In a heartfelt speech, Mr Ward talked with pride of the many years of hard work and dedication from all Colville VRFF volunteers past and present, and felt the years of dedication pay off when a new and fit-for-purpose vehicle like this one was delivered. He told the gathering that he was leaving as the new vehicle arrived, so he wouldn’t get to use it personally, but said the Fire Force and its new Smoke Chaser was in good hands with a great bunch of volunteers to take it forward.

Another set of keys was then handed over, this time to the Colville School, which had been able to purchase the former Colville VRFF's Delica Van.

Now students at Colville School have a van to get to Technology classes and sports in Coromandel instead of relying on parents and their cars.

The new Smoke Chaser is a major step forward for the Colville volunteers; it takes over from a 1978 Bedford truck that was well past its use-by date. Funding for the new vehicle was initiated by recently retired Principal Fire Officer Del Read, and paid for by our Council and the National Rural Fire Authority sharing the cost 50/50.

Current Principal Rural Fire Officer, Paul Shaw, purchased the vehicle and had the body custom-designed and built. "We are grateful to the members of our community who volunteer and run all our Fire Forces and Brigades on the Coromandel," he says.

"They are the backbone of our Fire and Emergency response. Communities need these wonderful people who give their time to look after us in our time of need, so it's always a good day when we see them get something new to help them and us, and excellent to see the Council contributing so much towards the project," says Mr Shaw.

The meeting was attended by local iwi, Community Board members and community groups, neighbouring communities and fire forces, the New Zealand Fire Service Area Manager, Rural Fire Authority Staff and Civil Defence Staff.

ENDS

© Scoop Media