Waikato towns are struggling to find enough volunteer firefighters as changing work patterns leave them short staffed. Andrew McAlley reports.
Volunteer fire brigades are reaching crisis point in Waikato towns and are struggling to find enough people to attend calls.
The situation is worst during the day, when many volunteers who live in small towns but work in other centres are not available to attend call-outs. With longer working hours and busy weekends, there are also fewer people volunteering to be firefighters. In the Waikato region only Hamilton employs professional firefighters.
Tahuna fire chief Iain McDonald said the brigade was in dire straits when people usually available during the day went on holiday. "It's been a bit of a fluke we've got through," he said. In Turangi, fire chief Ray Bray said he was able to call on 10 firefighters but should have 28.
"We could definitely do with another five-six people to attend call-outs during the day," he said. The brigade averages between 140-170 calls each year, most of them to crashes, including many on the Desert Road. "Having such a small number of people to call on creates a strain - last year Tokoroa sent a crew over for a weekend to give our guys a break," Mr Bray said.
But Tokoroa is not much better off, with fire chief Ian Wellings also feeling the pinch. "Our establishment is for 40 volunteers, we've currently got 30 but most of these people work out of town at Kinleith or the Lichfield cheese factory. "We're lucky a lot of our guys are shift workers but they have to sleep.
Another five-six people able to attend calls in the day would make a difference." Kawhia was down to five members but expected to be boosted by a training course beginning today, which had four Kawhia people on it. In Ngaruawahia, call-outs to the two-appliance station were being backed up by permanent firefighters from the Pukete station.
That put extra pressure on Hamilton. Otorohanga chief Phillip Tindle said he had only one crew available during the day. Te Awamutu, which averages 300 calls a year, is also struggling.
Chief fire officer Murray Gane said while they always had the ability to get one appliance out during the day, "sometimes getting a second crew out can take a while". Matamata chief Brian Hunter could do with another seven fire fighters. "Some days it's a bit tight but we've always managed to respond to calls and we can call on neighbouring stations for back-up," he said.
NZ Fire Service training officer Mike Kimber said the situation with volunteers had changed. "Ten-to-15 years ago you used to have to race just to get on a truck. There was standing room only in the watchroom for those who missed out.
"Now a lot of people work out of town, young guys aren't coming through and the numbers aren't there," the 23-year veteran said. Incoming Waikato district fire commander Roy Breeze said addressing the problem was his top priority.
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