Brigade to hold open day

Titahi Bay Volunteer Fire Brigade is throwing its double- height doors open to the public this Saturday and hopes to throw some light on emergency preparedness in the process.

The station is hosting a Community Awareness Day, a onestop-shop of emergency services where the community can plan together how they will face a crisis.

At the open day will be Mana Coastguard, Wellington Free Ambulance, the Titahi Bay Surf Lifesaving Club and the Wellington Regional Emergency Management Office.

Senior station officer Sean Malone says it will be an opportunity for people to see how the station works, and get to know the volunteers. ‘‘From an outsider’s perspective it seems like a closed shop. It gives the community a chance to see what’s inside,’’ Mr Malone says.

Volunteers will be available to discuss issues that affect the community, such as the siren test at noon on Saturdays. The brigade is considering moving the test to Wednesday night, which has upset some residents for whom the siren is an integral part of Bay life, Mr Malone says.

Residents will be able to sign up for a free smoke alarm installation, and can donate money to the brigade’s Skytower Challenge fundraising effort.

The day is being driven by Paula Birnie from the recently formed Titahi Bay Community Trust. She says many people have no idea what to do in an emergency, or if they have a plan they often don’t share it with neighbours.

‘‘At the moment we’d be lucky if most people know that the civil defence centre has moved from the fire brigade to Titahi Bay School,’’ she says.

‘‘There’s a lot of people that are doing their own thing but nobody talks to each other about sharing the plan.’’

The day will also be an opportunity for emergency services to foster relationships with each other, Ms Birnie says.