Smoke chaser ideal addition

A STRATEGIC allegiance between the Manawatu District Council and the Fire Service has been strengthened with the addition of a 4WD smoke chaser at the Himatangi Beach Volunteer Fire Brigade.

The vehicle was formerly based at Manfeild as part of the council’s rural fire fighting resource, but it was felt it could be better utilised at Himatangi Beach where it would be ideally suited for many of the brigade’s callouts.

Assistant Western Fire Region Commander, Mitchell Brown, said the appearance of the smoke chaser at Himatangi Beach meant the council and fire service could now serve the community at a much higher level and in a much better way.

“The fire truck at Himatangi Beach isn’t really that suitable to be running up and down the beach – it’s designed for roads, not beaches,” said Mr Brown. “The smoke chaser, however, is better equipped to handle the range of emergencies in off-road areas.”

He said the smoke chaser would cover a “significant chunk” of coastline and be able to attend incidents from Foxton Beach to Tangimoana. Himatangi Beach was the perfect location for it to be based.

“If the vehicle is required somewhere else in the district as part of the council’s rural fire responsibility, the brigade has the people who can drive it to that area and make it available.”

Mr Brown said the smoke chaser was not a first-response appliance, “but if it’s the right vehicle for the right type of incident, and of benefit to the incident controller, then it can be made available simply and quickly.”

He said the vehicle would also enhance the brigade’s association and first-response support for St John in Himatangi Beach and the surrounding community.

“It should round out the brigade’s diversity of emergency capability and better serve the community with appropriate vehicles, equipment and training.”

Ninety percent of the smoke chaser’s work is expected to be on the beach and through the sandhills, as well as in the Himatangi Beach community and back towards State Highway 1.

The smoke chaser’s worth was realised only moments after the recent handover ceremony when it was called to a quad bike accident in Pine Forest behind the station. The rider received back injuries and was later airlifted to Palmerston North Hospital.

MDC Community and Environment Group Manager, Lorraine Vincent, said the community would receive greater benefit if the smoke chaser was more effectively utilised rather than sitting in a shed for much of the time.

She welcomed the chance to strengthen the relationship with the Fire Service as the two agencies worked towards ensuring greater safety for communities.