Fire and Emergency has celebrated the official opening of the new Dunstan Fire Station in Alexandra.

Internal Affairs Minister Hon. Barbara Edmonds officially opened the $2.85 million station today along with the Dunstan Volunteer Fire Brigade and their supporters.

The purpose-built station, which is the brigade’s first, has four truck bays, a dedicated Personal Protective Equipment gear room, specialised firefighting equipment washdown areas, laundry facilities, fit for purpose showers, toilets, office space, and a kitchen and training room.

The Dunstan Volunteer Fire Brigade formed in 1998 and now has 23 members who respond to rural incidents across the Otago region.

The brigade plays an essential role specialising in vegetation firefighting and providing tanker support, and attends an average of 51 incidents a year.

Fire and Emergency Deputy National Commander Steph Rotarangi says the new station is purpose-built for our rural firefighting fleet and provides much needed safety improvements for the crew.

Region Manager Mike Grant says this is a great milestone for the brigade and it will have a positive impact on the local community.

"The Dunstan brigade has been proudly serving the community for 25 years and it’s exciting to see them settle into their new home. The new station and facilities will support our volunteers to do what they do best - serve their community," he says.

The $2.85 million for the new station, including the site purchase and demolition, was funded by Fire and Emergency and a $340,000 contribution from Central Otago District Council.

The station has been constructed to importance level four (IL4 standard), which is the highest level of seismic strength for public buildings that must be able to operate immediately after an earthquake.

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