Fire crews ‘struggling with ageing trucks’

The New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union has raised concerns about the state of equipment in their aging fire trucks. They recently experienced an incident where a power converter overheated and burned out in a 28-year-old fire truck while returning from a factory fire. Although no actual fire occurred, the incident prompted an evacuation and the crew had fire extinguishers at the ready.

Mike Swanson, the union’s Tauranga branch secretary, expressed that older trucks are being used more frequently as frontline appliances and are constantly in service without much rest. While new trucks are on the way, it will take some time for them to arrive, leaving the older trucks to continue operating.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) stated that the truck had an electrical issue, resulting in a burning smell. The firefighters promptly addressed the problem, replacing the charger within an hour. FENZ assured that an alternative truck is available in case of emergencies and mentioned that they have a replacement program in place, with 70 new trucks currently on order. They have added 317 new trucks to their fleet since 2017.

It is evident that the issue of aging equipment in the fire service is a pressing concern, but steps are being taken to modernize and improve the fleet to ensure the safety and efficiency of firefighters in New Zealand.