Fire training tower upgrade progresses
IT is hoped work on upgrading the Oamaru Volunteer Fire Brigade’s training tower will be completed by the end of March, Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) says.
The major overhaul of the fivestorey tower started late last year and is part of the national body’s continued upgrade of the fire station on the corner of Exe and Thames Sts.
The work included changing the siren to a modern standard, steelwork for support at the top, allowing better access to the winch used to haul hoses up to dry, installing a new switchboard at the bottom, cleaning, painting, and putting new floors down, and several health and safety upgrades, including new railings, and ‘‘auto shuts’’ on the doors, so they close after firefighters go through them.
F enz region five property coordinator Michael Adam said the work had progressed well and was about to enter its final stages.
‘‘All the structural steel and safety rails have been installed and on Monday they [contractors] start to sandblast and repaint the whole tower. Following that, new electrical services will be installed and then new timber decking will be installed, then the scaffolding can come down.’’
He said all going well, the tower would be ready for use at the end of this month.
Oamaru Volunteer Fire brigade deputy chief fire officer Warren Stringer said the upgrade would benefit firefighters.
‘‘It will enhance our training . . . it’s been modified to be used for that purpose.’’
The tower was used for a variety of training exercises, such as firefighters in breathing apparatus simulating rescues in multistorey buildings.
Other training towers in the lower South Island, such as those at Queenstown, Invercargill and Gore, have also been upgraded in recent months.