A second alarm was transmitted at approximately 5pm this afternoon, for a fire amongst wrecked cars at the Porirua Tow and Salvage yard. A request for lighting support saw Hutt Valley Fire Police paged to respond.

RIMU4926 attended and provided scene lighting, allowing crews to continue working to safe the scene even as dusk set in.

The venue...

The evening of 8 June saw the Unit responded to a property fire on State Highway 2 in Timberlea, north of Upper Hutt. A second, and then third alarm was transmitted.

The blaze as shown in the ceiling area. Image courtesy Bruce Key.

The house was up a steep driveway, hindering access to the blaze, and lack of decent-pressure reticulation meant that water tankers (arranged by the Upper Hutt Rural Fire Force) were required to set up a decent water supply.

Hutt Valley Fire Police Unit extends its congratulations to its Patron, Mike Aamodt QSM, who was awarded the Queens Service Medal (QSM) in todays Queens Birthday Honours, 'For services to the community'.

Well done Mike - a well deserved honour.

Some may observe Rimutaka 4928 having another role within the Fire Region at the moment. It's currently assisting with HAZMAT and Breathing Apparatus Support tasks, standing in for Avalon 4115 which is down for maintenance and overhaul. The Unit will hopefully get 4928 back in a couple of months. Meanwhile 4926 is carrying a bit of extra gear for us, and we have use of an additional trailer (kindly provided on loan) which is carrying additional equipment and can be towed by appropriately equipped private vehicles.

Saturday, April 18 2009 saw the Hutt Valley Fire Police Unit hold both a UFBA Honours Presentation, and a Gold Star Celebration for one of our longest serving members, Senior Fire Policeman Phil Campbell.

The first order of the evening was the UFBA Honours.

Members of HVFP Parade in preparation to receive honours.

Two members of our Unit were given the opportunity to support the Firewise campaign which aims to teach kids about fire safety in the home. FP Bruce Key and FP Ingrid Vlieg had the privilege of kitting up as Flint and Amber on one of their first public appearances at Queensgate, Lower Hutt on Sunday February 8 from 1000 to 1500. Ingrid and Bruce started the day by meeting DCFO Bernie Rush at Hutt City station who arranged Level Two PPE, and introduced them to their alter-egos who were smiling at them from their crate in the Engine Bay.

Thankful that there was going to be air-conditioning they donned red capes, gloves, yellow toe-caps and completed their transformations with the head-dress which concealed them so effectively that vision became a challenge.

For information about Fire Police and Operational Support all around New Zealand, you've little need to look further than www.firepolice.co.nz. It gives a pretty good view of Fire Police and Operational Support operations in NZ with a large number of units listed. Take a look! (Link opens in new window).