The last in a national fleet of Fire Service hazmat/command vehicles will be officially welcomed to its base in Whangarei today (March 22).

Each of the 17 vehicles has been strategically positioned around the country. They respond rapidly to major incidents requiring contemporary command and control facilities or to serious emergencies involving hazardous chemical, biological or radiological materials.
Fire Service Auckland/Northland Region Commander Brian Butt says this last vehicle puts a national asset in place that will be of enormous benefit to emergency and civil defence agencies.

"They are designed to support multi-agency response to a major incident – and were lynchpins in the two Canterbury earthquakes and the Pike River coal mine operations. The introduction of this vehicle to Whangarei was planned for last month but shortly after it was delivered it was needed in Christchurch for the 22 February earthquake. We based 11 of the 17 vehicles in Christchurch for over two weeks, using them as operations and communication centres," he said.

The communications and data technology on board each vehicle include a large touch screen monitor, software to support emergency command and control decision making, capability for up to six workstations, satellite communication and a camera mounted on a 10.5 metre telescopic mast to allow those inside the command vehicle to get a bird's eye view of the incident ground.
Some of the hazardous materials equipment to be carried on board has already been rolled out and the rest will be in place in time for the Rugby World Cup. The equipment includes decontamination facilities, new disposable splash suits and hazardous materials detection, identification and monitoring equipment.

Brian Butt says the arrival of the 17th hazmat/command unit in Whangarei has brought the project full circle. The country's first, and until recently, only dual purpose hazmat/command unit was designed and built in Whangarei in 2000.
It was the brainchild of Northland equipment manager Station Officer Damian Southorn who says "Our existing hazmat unit had to be replaced and the region didn't have a command unit. Since we couldn't justify buying two new vehicles I proposed we build one that could be used for both roles."

He and other senior Fire Service staff from the region drew up the specifications of what they wanted, bought a second hand truck, and had the rear compartment divided so that one third could be used as a command centre and the rest could carry all the hazardous materials equipment.

Brian Butt says it was this vehicle that helped inspire the thinking that led to the national Fire Service project. "It had become increasingly obvious the country needed standardised, sophisticated, well equipped vehicles that could support the communication, leadership and logistical needs of different agencies involved in a major incidents. To keep costs down, they also needed to be able to take on the dual role of responding to hazardous material emergencies."

There will be a blessing of the vehicle at the Whangarei Fire Station at 11.30 today. Officials from the region will be there. Please contact Jon Harvey 09 438 9203 at Whangarei Fire Station if you wish to attend.