Haumoana upgraded fire station ready for emergencies

Haumoana’s 53 year-old fire station is now ready and “improved for the future” thanks to a $400,000 strengthening upgrade that was officially acknowledged on Saturday (18 September) by Dame Margaret Bazley, chair of the New Zealand Fire Commission.

Over 60 current and past brigade volunteers, honorary life members, fire service leaders, and dignitaries celebrated the re-opening, and inspected a new $400,000 appliance that now resides at the fire station that serves the Clive, Haumoana, Te Awanga and Tuki Tuki Valley areas.

The Haumoana station upgrade is the second of five Fire Service station rebuilds in the East Coast region, necessary to ensure the buildings meet seismic requirements under the new Building Act.

Paul Baxter, Eastern Fire Region Commander told the guests that the local community was well placed for the future. He said the Canterbury earthquakes had shown how vital it was for emergency services to be able to respond quickly in order for the community to recover.

Hasting Mayor Lawrence Yule added “This is a unique community that is a little isolated but it now has a first class facility.”

A Hastings District Council water tanker is also housed at the station and was a good example of how the Fire Service and the Council had “partnered up and participated together,” Mayor Yule said.

Among those attending were two foundation Haumoana Fire Brigade members, Hugh Baker and Ian Bambry, along with a number of Council rural fire personnel, representatives from Taradale, Hastings and Havelock North fire brigades, as well as the St John’s Ambulance, and Clive community policeman Alan Daly.
A public open day and blessing ceremony will be held on Sunday 31 October.

The Haumoana Volunteer Brigade, which was formed in 1946, currently has 22 members who collectively have served 342 years. Four members were presented Long Service Good Conduct medals by Dame Margaret.

The Haumoana Station was built in 1957 with an additional tanker bay extension completed in the early 1970s. The upgrade project, handled by Alexander Construction, commenced mid February and was completed in late April. The Fire Brigade remained operative 24

hours a day throughout this time. The fire appliance remained on site and the tanker was housed in a local orchard implement shed.