Fire reforms worry union
Plans seen as risk to firefighters and public, writes George Block.
Career firefighters fear lives will be at risk if a proposed Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) restructure that could result in volunteers running operations goes ahead.
Consultation on the proposal ended on Friday, but unions have until tomorrow to make submissions for members.
The NZ Professional Firefighters Union has amassed about 1000 submissions in opposition to the proposals, which it says could result in inexperienced fire chiefs taking com- mand at incidents.
Union secretary Joanne Watson said allowing people from rural fire backgrounds to be appointed senior managers would endanger the public and firefighters.
‘‘The bulk of them have never been to an urban fire in their lives, but Fenz is giving them preference.’’
Fenz, formed from the amalgamation two years ago of the Fire Service and dozens of rural fire authorities, said the proposals were about improving efficiency by avoiding duplication of management responsibilities.
It declined to release the more than 100-page proposal document under the Official Information Act before the consultation period ended, but in a copy obtained by the Sunday StarTimes, Fenz chief executive Rhys Jones acknowledged the proposals were far-reaching.
He emphasised there would be no changes to how stations and brigades operate, and that Fenz was committed to ‘‘the principle of the most suitably qualified or trained person being in charge of incidents – this does not and will not change’’.
However one proposal shows a principal rural fire officer – a senior rural firefighter likely to specialise in large scrub fires but unlikely to have urban house fire experience – would be assigned the rank of chief officer and hold the position of district manager.
Fenz deputy chief executive service delivery Kerry Gregory disputed Watson’s claims of safety risks. ‘‘We’re not going to put a rural person in charge of a major structure fire.’’
United Fire Brigades Association chief executive officer Bill Butzbach, who supports the changes, said his mainly volunteer membership had previously felt like second-class citizens to career firefighters.
The nature of the job had changed, he said, thanks to fewer structure fires combined with more vegetation fires due to climate change – and a huge spike in medical calls.
‘‘Fenz listens to us, we’ve got a voice we’ve never had before. We’re pretty confident with the proposals for managers. Managers don’t put out fires – people in fire engines do.’’