26 September 2001

EVIDENCE MOUNTS FIRE SERVICE IS PLANNING TO REMOVE FIRE APPLIANCES

United Future leader, Hon Peter Dunne, is standing by his claims the Fire Service is planning to remove fire appliances from fire stations.

Yesterday, Mr Dunne alleged that the Fire Service was planning to cut the nation's fire appliances by 100 vehicles, a claim denied by the Fire Service.

Mr Dunne also claimed the Fire Service was planning to reduce services at five volunteer stations in the Northland region.

"I am now able to reveal the names of the Northland stations - all run by volunteers - which will be affected by this plan."

"The stations are Waipu; Maungatoroto; Ruakaka; Paihia and Mangonui - all of which are to be cut back from two appliances to one," he says.

Mr Dunne says he cannot believe the Fire Service is secretly planning to cut fire services to Northland at the very time it is promoting a new resource allocation model which says that fires are more likely in lower socio-economic areas, and that fire services should therefore be configured better to meet those needs.

"What more socially deprived areas can there be than rural Northland, and how many tragic house fires have there been in that area in recent years?"

"What on earth is the Fire Service dreaming of, even contemplating reducing the number of fire appliances in the area?"

"It is mind-numbing in its insensitivity to local needs," he says.

Mr Dunne says Fire Service denials simply do not wash.

"Rumours are abounding up and down the country of stations earmarked to have appliances removed, which make a mockery of the Fire Service's denials, and bring the whole credibility of the resource allocation model into question."

"No wonder the previous Fire Service national commander reportedly would not have a bar of it," Mr Dunne says.

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