New firefighting kit a ‘game-changer’
came face-to-face with the victim, relaxing in a chair.
‘‘The defendant wrapped one arm around the complainant’s neck and punched the complainant approximately three or four times with a closed fist,’’ Hitila said.
Soloman’s former partner and two of her teenage children pulled the defendant away from the victim.
The defendant then left the property.
‘‘The complainant received bruising to the right side of his face from being punched.’’
Judge Maze convicted Solomon, ordered him not to associate with the victim, remanded him on bail until April 29 for sentencing.
The judge ordered a presentence report and for restorative justice to be explored.
The Omarama Volunteer Fire Brigade has bought a thermal imaging camera (TIC) to help identify hotspots and search for people from a safe distance during an emergency.
And the equipment has already shown its worth just a week after it arrived.
‘‘These cameras are a tremendous tool to have in our toolbox,’’ brigade chief fire officer
Greg Harper said. ‘‘It allows firefighters to search a burning building in a fraction of the time and we’re really proud to have one available for every call we attend.’’
While other brigades in the region have a TIC, they are up to 30 minutes distance from Omarama.
‘‘With the TIC, we were able to check other parts of the building and identify hotspots to make sure that the fire was fully extinguished before we left,’’
Harper said of the Ahuriri Valley fire. ‘‘This kind of technology is a game-changer in allowing us to assess things from a safe distance and search for people in danger.’’
The camera was bought using $6000 awarded by Meridian Energy’s Power Up Fund, $1000 donated by St Thomas’ Church of Omarama and hundreds of dollars raised by the community.
Meridian Energy asset maintenance manager Mat Bayliss said emergency services were a priority for the Power Up Fund.