Saturday 12 June saw the Hutt Valley Fire Police Unit host Fire Police and Operational Support staff from Featherston, Greytown, Wainuiomata and Wellington's various Fire Police and Operational Support Units at the Messines Army Centre, Trentham, for a day of training particularly focussed on the skills and knowledge required by support personnel.

The full day of training covered a variety of areas including:

• Fire Legislation
  
• The Coordinated Incident Management System (CIMS)
  
• Salvage
  
• Knots
  
• Traffic Control
  
• Scene Protection
  
• Fire Safety & Promotional Resources
  
• Safe Person Concept
  
• Land Mobile Radio and Incident Ground Communications
  
• Lighting
  
• Proceeding to Incidents
  
• Health & Safety
  

Photos and more after the jump....

Hutt Valley Fire Police put on a display of their own as part of the Open Day held by Upper Hutt Volunteer Fire Brigade at Trentham Fire Station, Sunday 28th March. Article and Photos now found in this updated article...

On Sunday 14 March members of the Unit took part in the Stokes Valley Fire Station open day which was held at the Stokes Valley Station. The Unit was ask to put on a display of what we have to offer and to show what the Fire Police are all about.

The day started at 1000hrs and as the morning went on the crowd started to flow through the station. There was a good level of interest shown in the display we put on and several potential recruits were provided with further information.

Yep, we're joining the Social Media world. Check us out - Links to both Twitter and Facebook pages can be found in the left menu area.

I've just installed a module which should create more 'human readable' URL's for each story submitted here.
Please contact the webmaster if you notice this causing any problems!

The Hutt Valley Fire Police note with sadness the passing of Gordon Hamilton, past Patron of the Hutt Valley Fire Police Unit and until most recently, Patron of the Hutt-Wellington-Kapiti Sub Association of the UFBA. Members of our Unit were in attendance to pay respects to Mr Hamilton, whos service was held in Upper Hutt on Tuesday 3 November.

The keen amongst you may have noticed a callout on Monday night for the Unit along the lines of:

(RIMU4928,RIMU4926) .. TRENTHAM, UPPER HUTT: ROOF OFF BUILDING SALVAGE REQUIRED

Yes indeed... Hutt Valley Fire Police now officially have 'Salvage' on their list of capabilities.

Salvage is, for the record, the art of saving property from, and preventing further, damage. In the case of the New Zealand Fire Service, Salvage tasks are usually oriented at situations such as:

• Domestic Flooding (eg burst pipes)
  
• Commercial Flooding (eg sprinkler activations)
  
• Roof Damage / Lifting Roofing Iron (often caused by strong winds).
  

The types of damage that can be prevented through artful Salvage are primarily from Smoke and Water; often only a single room is actually exposed to flames but an entire house can be trashed by the soot, smoke and fumes from that fire - and by the water used to extinguish it.

Rimutaka 4928 is now equipped with Salvage equipment; Aquavac's (vacuum cleaners designed to suck water) and Salvage Sheets (very strong tarps/groundsheets with useful tie-ropes attached) and other useful tools; brooms, squeegies and even an auger. The callout above was actually a Unit exercise, put on to allow HVFP to drill Salvage techniques - and also train with our lighting equipment.

Most appliances carry a very small amount of generic salvage equipment (a couple of Salvage Sheets and some basic hand tools) but only dedicated Salvage Tenders come equipped with a larger range of Salvage equipment. Our friends over at Wellington Fire Support are well equipped for the Salvage role and have been working in this space for a while, but it's a relatively new feather in the HVFP's proverbial cap. With the dedicated Salvage role no longer held by the folks at Tawa Volunteer Fire Brigade, it's a long haul from Kilbirnie station to much of the Hutt Valley; thus HVFP are now providing a first-response capability for Salvage in the Hutt Valley.

For larger jobs, we will have option to call upon Kilbirnie 2426 for backup; likewise they now know that we can provide mutual assistance in Central Wellington should the need arise.

In preparation for taking on this role, Wellington Fire Support received a visit from the HVFP on Monday 7 September. On this evening WFSU provided HVFP with orientation on their Salvage equipment and helped us come to grips with our new equipment.

FP Roberts, Chambers Bedford and SFP Robinson discuss Salvage methods with SSO Arons of Wellington Fire Support (Second from Right)

SSO Ackroyd of HVFP illustrating that with Wellington Fire Support and Hutt Fire Police now cross-trained and thus familiar with eachothers equipment, we can better help our fellow Firefighters across the wider region. (SSO Ackroyd is shown operating an Aquavac from Kilbirnie 2426).

Some of you may have noticed a brief website outage this evening. This was due to routine upgrades which are now completed - sorry for the inconvenience. (If you notice anything still broken, contact the Webmaster using the 'Contact Us' link.)

With thanks to the team from the Arapawa Training Centre at Kilbirnie, members of HVFP were brought up to date on First Aid today with training in Primary Assessment & CPR; core skills which all members of the Fire Service need to maintain.

Today we (re)gained proficiency in First-Response CPR on adults, children and infants and in responding to airway blockages; these being some of the most common, most fundamental First Aid aspects.

The focus is twofold; these are skills that are likely to be called upon when on duty as Fire Police, and also these are skills that have a great amount of value both around the home, and the workplace. It does serve to highlight the large amount of value that we as volunteers - and you as our friends, employers and family - gain through our training.

A big thanks to the Training team for making themselves available on a Sunday to allow us to retain proficiency in this most important area.

Also today the Unit had a chance to look over some additional portable power generators that we've added to our inventory. These will be covering for the absence of our Generator/Lighting Plant - which is off having some work done.

The Hutt Valley Fire Police would like to thank the following organisations for their support and sponsorship:

	Upper Hutt Cosmopolitan Club
	Upper Hutt Rotary

10x White-on-Blue Direction arrows 400mm
2x "Footpath Closed - Use Other Side" signs
4x Stop/Go signs
20x cone rods (red/white)

Some photos of our new signage, on display during the Upper Hutt Spring Festival, 5 September 2009

Upper Hutt Rural Fire's command unit (UPPE9480) on display at the Upper Hutt Spring Festival. The 'Cone Rods' can be seen in the foreground, and provide an excellent safety barrier.

The Unit is now in a position to provide a safer and more professional secure working environment for emergency rescue services personnel, and also the public. Again our grateful thanks.