Inter-agency involvement key for Rural Firefighter Challenge

12 October 2012

“Inter-agency involvement the key” for Rural Firefighter Challenge

At day two of the Rural Firefighter Challenge at Raincliff the team on the ground running the exercise nearly outnumbered the eight firefighting crews out in the field.

According to Rob Hands, South Canterbury’s Rural Fire Officer and today’s Incident Controller, there are around 100 people per day involved in this year’s exercise, with half of those playing a supporting role and many being mentored for their first time in the role. That shows the kind of support amongst emergency services we have, he says.

“The key to this annual event being so successful is the inter-agency relationships that develop and are built at exercises such as this.”

The Northern South Island Regional Rural Fire Committee (formerly the Canterbury West Coast Regional Rural Fire Committee) are into their 13th year of running the Challenge, and start planning for next year’s event soon after the debriefing in November. He says the key is to make each year’s challenges different – so that participants come back year after year. And they do. This huge exercise normally attracts fire fighting teams from the Waitaki right up to the top of the South Island.

Mr Hands says the agencies working together is vital, and this was highlighted at the Canterbury earthquake incidents. It is an ideal opportunity for emergency services to understand their own role and that of others, and also to put “faces behind names”, he says.

The Red Cross has a strong presence at this year’s exercise. Along with running a Challenge “task” for the rural firefighting teams (a life-like “chemical explosion” accident scenario at a nearby woolshed), they also provide organisational support.

Spokesperson Ken Weavers says that Red Cross offers ground support, resources and medical assistance. Their team is made up of men and women who have made time from their normal jobs to support the three-day event at Raincliff.

Mr Weavers adds that many people think of Red Cross as soley for medical assistance but more than that, the organisation adds a vital element of support in any kind of emergency.

Likewise, the Salvation Army is keenly sought after as the “social centre” for the 50-odd support ground crew based at the Raincliff Youth Camp.

The Christian based support agency has a “mandate to feed the nation in any emergency callout”, says Major Murray Sanson. He is here for three days offering a one-stop refreshment centre – complete with chocolate biscuits, as well as a popular sausage sizzle at the end of each day for the firefighting crews and support teams.

He has brought with him the Timaru-based Salvation Army caravan, fully stocked to go at any time to any emergency.

Also present is the local police officer and a member of Search and Rescue.

Pleasant Point Constable Tim Hartnell highlights the value in scenarios to form and build relationships. He says it is important to do this when there isn’t a real emergency as it enables them to “hit the road running” when there is one.

The huge mobile Fire Rescue command centre is a one-stop-shop operational centre and is parked at the Challenge centre. Timaru Senior Station Officer Garry Parker describes the unit as having two-purposes in any kind of emergency – a decontamination and a command centre. He says it is frequently being deployed to places such as Pike River and Christchurch after the earthquakes. Based in Timaru and one of 17 such units around the country, it is packed with highly specialised equipment.

The Timaru Fire Service is also running one of the challenges – a simulated structure fire inside a derelict house.

Comments from the various agencies is that the exercise is well run and organised. The Incident Controller, Rob Hands, says from a small beginning, this three-day event has evolved into a major inter-agency exercise.

Mr Hands says he’s happy with the response from fire teams this year, especially seeing new teams, such as one from Fonterra at Clandeboye. And there a number of women in both the fire teams and supporting ground teams.

He says on Thursday one of the Department of Conservation teams had three women and one man, and it’s something that is becoming more common.

In a rural situation and small towns, often women are more likely to be available for emergencies such as fires and they also play a vital role behind-the-scenes in rural fire organisations, says Mr Hands. They have a 17-year-old female rural fire fighter at Peel Forest, and also women firefighters in the Rangitata Gorge and Hakataramea teams, he adds.

Day three (Saturday) of the Rural Firefighter Challenge is forcast to be wet and cold. It will be the biggest day of the Challenge with 12 volunteer rural firefighting crews expected. They’ve been told to bring their wet weather gear.

ENDS

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