New fire station merges volunteer and career firefighters in Christchurch

A new fire station has been officially opened in Christchurch’s eastern suburbs today, bringing volunteer and career firefighters together for the first time in Canterbury.

Anzac Fire Station, situated on Anzac Drive in Aranui, combines the former New Brighton Volunteer Brigade and Wainoni Fire Station.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand Chief Executive Rhys Jones said Anzac Fire Station is Canterbury’s first composite station.

"This is a major milestone for our newly unified organisation, which has brought together urban and rural services throughout the country," Mr Jones said.

"The community will benefit from improved efficiency in our emergency responses, with our new station combining the continuity of career firefighters with dedicated support from our volunteers."

Fire and Emergency Chairman Paul Swain said the $8 million new station represents a significant investment as part of the ongoing redevelopment of Christchurch’s network of fire stations following the 2011 earthquakes.
"Our Christchurch stations were devastated by the earthquakes and the eastern suburbs were particularly hard hit," Mr Swain said.

"This is another significant step in our commitment to rebuilding a modern network of strategically positioned stations to meet the anticipated future needs of the people of Christchurch."

This is the fifth station to be built as part of Fire and Emergency’s Christchurch rebuild programme, with six more stations due to be built in the next few years.

Anzac Fire Station features four appliance bays, training and operations rooms, a gym, kitchen, lounge and purpose-built "dirty to clean" zones so firefighters can bag contaminated gear and then shower to prevent carcinogen transfer into living and work areas.

A fall-back generator and potable water supply will ensure personnel have a resilient base from which to serve the community in times of crisis.

Christchurch Metro Area Manager Dave Stackhouse said the station has been strategically designed and located to meet the community’s ever-changing needs.

"This new station provides a great platform for us to protect and serve the people of east Christchurch for many years to come," Mr Stackhouse said.

In 2017, Wainoni Fire Station and New Brighton Volunteer Brigade collectively responded to 526 incidents, including 50 structure fires, 38 vegetation fires, 81 medical incidents and 33 vehicle accidents.

Fire and Emergency has consulted with local iwi to erect a sculpture depicting the bow of waka at the front of the station. The waka recognises the cultural and historical significance of the nearby Avon River (Ōtākaro) as a travel route by waka and as a source of wai (water).

"We are grateful to Ngāi Tūāhuriri and Ngāi Tahu for creating a waka sculpture that resonates with mana whenua, and also Fire and Emergency, with our dependence on water sources for our fire appliances."
ENDS

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