Pirongia Volunteer Fire Brigade’s new first rapid response medical vehicle was among the units that went to a Te Pahu shed blaze on Sunday night.
Pirongia Volunteer Fire Brigade’s new rapid response medical vehicle.
It took about two hours for Pirongia firefighters to extinguish the flames of the Waite Road shed, saving the neighbouring home from being engulfed by flames.
It was the fourth time, since the brigade took delivery of the Mitsubishi Triton in late December, that the medical vehicle had been used to save property and lives.
Its defibrillator had already been used twice at separate call outs.
Pirongia Volunteer Fire Brigade deputy chief fire officer Roger Grylls, pictured behind the wheel of the new rapid response medical vehicle, led the fundraising committee. Chief fire officer Roan Gouws stands by the vehicle while his son, firefighter Josua Gouws, rides in the back.
Pirongia Fire Station chief fire office Roan Gouws said the new vehicle, brought following more than a year of community fundraising, gave the brigade more flexibility when responding to an emergency. In many cases it would be sent to an emergency first, in other cases it might be the last vehicle to arrive on the scene bringing backup.
“It improves the brigades capability in the community,” he said. “It’s not just this community. We offer back up to Hamilton, Ōtorohanga, and Te Awamutu brigades.”
Pirongia firefighters can also find themselves responding to emergencies in Kawhia, Raglan, Ngāhinapōuri, and as far afield as Lichfield in the South Waikato.
The station has a team of 20 who are called to nearly 100 emergencies a year and Gouws said he expected the rapid response medical vehicle to be used for up to 75 per cent of this year’s calls.
Josua Gouws, left, and Roger Grylls.
Deputy chief fire officer Roger Grylls, who led the fundraising committee, said fundraising began August 2023, and he was amazed how quickly the $120,000 funds needed for the project were raised.
Once the vehicle was purchased, at a discounted rate from Mitsubishi Ingham Te Awamutu, it was fitted out by Camco Industries in Cambridge, also at a discounted rate.
Support came from businesses and organisations, and pub charities, and the brigade sold burgers at the town’s annual craft fair.
Earlier in the year the station was provided with a used utility vehicle by Waipā Networks which it uses to transport personnel to incidents. It also has an appliance supplied by Fire Emergency New Zealand in 2023 and an appliance supplied in 2022.
“I really want to acknowledge all the hard work that the people in the brigade went to in order to get this for us,” Gouws said.
The rapid response medical vehicle will be blessed at 10am on Saturday, February 1, when the station will host a morning celebration.
The station is also recruiting new firefighters.
Pirongia Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Roan Gouws says the new rapid response vehicle gives the brigade more flexibility.
