New Brighton Fire Service

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32037, 11 July 1969, Page 10

New Brighton Fire Service

Sir,—Before purchasing a very nice home at South Shore I decided, having experienced one major house fire, to make a few inquiries about the fire-fighting service, and, to my amazement found that New Brighton was still served by a voluntary brigade as it was when I resided there over 20 years ago. Since New Brighton has grown so tremendously in that time, surely it warrants a permanent brigade. Furthermore, I found that only three or four of the volunteers work in New Brighton and that these men take the day calls and also, along with others, turn out at night, calling on Woolston or city when necessary. This brings to mind a system I came across in a small village while I was overseas. The men working in the village took all day calls, the night calls being taken by the remainder of the volunteers, who worked further afield, each being able to call out the city brigade if required. This system appeared to work very well so I am passing it on for what it is worth.— Yours, etc., P. CONWAY.

July 8, 1969. [The secretary of the Christchurch Metropolitan Fire Board (Mr F. G. K. Gilchrist) replies: “I thank Mr Conway for outlining the callout system he has observed overseas. In the Christchurch Metropolitan fire district, this is covered by the fact that all fire calls are received by the headquarters fire station, and immediately, a fire appliance from the nearest fire station is dispatched to the site of the fire. Attendance at fires in the Christchurch metropolitan fire district, which includes New Brighton, meets the full requirements of the Fire Services Code of Practices, 1965.”]