Investing in fire stations and jobs

Source: New Zealand Government

Fire stations around the country are set for a $57.5 million boost for much needed rebuilds or upgrades, Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin announced today.

“Most of the funding comes from the $3 billion tagged contingency for infrastructure projects set aside in Budget 2020 and will create and protect jobs and boost regional economies in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Minister Martin says.

“It will allow improvements to 26 fire stations ranging from the total replacement of several stations that have reached the end of their life or have significant seismic issues, through to partial refurbishments and improvements to obsolete facilities. All of the projects selected had to be ‘shovel ready’,” the Minister said.

Mrs Martin announced the funding programme this morning from the site of the old Christchurch City Fire station demolished after the Christchurch earthquakes. 

“Canterbury will receive $23.8 million for a major upgrade of fire stations across the region, including $12 million to build a new fit for purpose Christchurch City Fire Station on its old site in Kilmore Street,” Minister Martin said.

“Around $3 million has been approved to rebuild Sumner Fire Station which was also significantly damaged during the Christchurch earthquakes and Kaikoura Fire Station will also receive around $5 million for a brand-new, fit for purpose facility on a new, resilient site.

“The firefighters in Kaikoura have to respond to some fairly remote rural areas so I’m pleased that Kaikoura Fire Station will house both its urban and rural fire crews.”

Darfield will get around $1 million funding for an Emergency Resource Facility to house local rural fire crews’ trucks and equipment next door to the Darfield Fire Station. This will enable rural and urban fire crews to be co-located.

In addition, the Peel Forest and Rangitata Gorge stations will receive almost $2 million for upgrades.

“For a long time communities have been waiting to see the firefighters who do such a great job housed in facilities that make doing their difficult jobs just a bit easier. These projects will help our firefighters – and they will help our communities and create jobs,” the Minister said.

“Part of Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s role when it was established in 2017 was to invest in providing volunteer and career firefighters across the country with the right resources to do their job safely.

“We have around 14,000 career and volunteer firefighters who attended nearly 80,000 incidents last year to keep New Zealanders safe. I am very pleased this funding will accelerate the work to provide them with the fit for purpose fire stations they need.” 

 ENDS

 Contact: Richard Ninness

Phone: 021 892 536

 Notes for editors – All approvals are in principle and subject to contract negotiations. Investment values are also subject to change. The full list of stations is:

MIL OSI