Fire and Emergency consulting over future of Newlands Fire Station

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

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Fire and Emergency New Zealand is to consult with the Newlands Volunteer Fire Brigade, the Johnsonville Brigade (a composite brigade of career and volunteer personnel), the United Fire Brigades Association (UFBA) and the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) about the future of the Newlands Fire Station.

The consultation follows the Wellington City Council’s decision to redevelop the land on which the fire station sits as part of Newlands Park. Fire and Emergency leases the land from the council on a month-by-month basis and has been advised the land will not be available after August 2020.

"The Newlands Brigade has made a huge contribution to the north Wellington community over the years and we are keen to retain its services and identity," Fire and Emergency Te Ūpoko Region Manager Bruce Stubbs said.

However, redevelopment of the park means we have to look at other options. At this stage our preferred option is to co-locate the Newlands Brigade at the Johnsonville Station.

"Johnsonville Station is less than 2km from the Newlands Station so residents of Newlands and surrounding areas can be assured our people will continue to be there when they are needed. Johnsonville firefighters already respond to many incidents in the Newlands area."

Bruce Stubbs said the other options for Newlands were the closure and disestablishment of the brigade or relocation to an interim site while a new station was built on different site.

Fire and Emergency had investigated a number of other sites but none provided additional cover over and above what was already achieved from Johnsonville Station, he said.

"Our Standards of Cover (operating guidelines) require us to arrive at incidents within eight minutes of being called out 90 per cent of the time. Based solely on this criteria, if there was not currently a station at Newlands, it is highly unlikely that we would build one there."

Bruce Stubbs said co-location would preserve the Newlands Brigade as a separate entity and maintain an additional level of resilience and surge capacity within the greater Welllington area.

Fire and Emergency is required to clear its Newlands site by the end of August 2020. Fire and Emergency expects to receive feedback on the options being considered from the Newlands and Johnsonville brigades, the UFBA and the NZPFU by 3 February 2020.

ENDS

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