HVFS assistance was required to provide lighting for the balloon accident scene. RIMU4926 and crew was dispatched to set up lighting where required. Once the lights were set up and operational, equipment was left along with canteen supplies in the hands of the fire service and police so they could finish their investigation.

Hutt Valley Fire Support assistance was required at a flooding call due to a drainpipe blocking and water coming through the roof and going through to the flat and business below. HVFS worked with aquavacs to remove the water from both areas with the help of Wellington Operational Support

In the wee small hours of the morning a block of 2 abandoned flats in Farmer Crescent (scheduled for demolition) was set ablaze. The fire was contained mainly by aerial firefighting. Meanwhile HVFS provided road closures at either end of Farmer Crescent for the duration of the call.

Hutt Valley Fire Support assistance was required at a flooding call on 14th Dec 2011 due to a forklift knocking off a fire sprinkler head. The unit set about their work with the aquavacs removing the water from the warehouse while Wellington Operational Support was called in to assist.

Hutt Valley Fire Support have been called out to two property fires and one scrub fire so far this month:

Second Alarm House Fire - Tirohanga - 5 November 2011

Pagers sounded in the very early hours of 5 November 2011 and members responded to a second alarm house fire with "persons reported". Duties involved diverting traffic from the scene. The fire was a kitchen fire, there were no casualties and the unit was stood down after an hour.

Second Alarm Vegetation Fire - Naenae - 16 November 2011

Members were paged to a scrub fire in the hills above Naenae on the evening of 16 November 2011.

Our role in this call was traffic and crowd control and diversion to make sure the scene was safe for both the public and emergency crews.

Property Fire - Normandale - 19 November 2011

This was a kitchen fire which caused extensive damage to that area of the property. Our Unit was originally dispatched for scene protection but also stepped into the role of salvage whicn involved mopping the excess water from the kitchen. The scene protection involved maintaining security waiting for the occupants of the house to return.

To view a full-size image, please click on the thumbnail.

Images courtesy of QFF Bruce Key

Members watching the opening game of the Rugby World cup were interrupted by the pager, this time calling them to a house fire near Silverstream.

We were tasked with closing Eastern Hutt Road and the the entrance from Ferguson Drive due to water needing to be drawn from the river. Some diplomacy and additonal communication skills were required to redirect drivers to their destinations by an alternative route were required as several were visitors from outside the Hutt Valley.

Just what every volunteer needs - a callout in the snow to freeze our butts off. Hutt Valley Fire Support were paged to 2 calls at the same time. The first to a house fire in Stokes Valley and the second to a 2nd alarm in Days Bay. As the van was snowed in at station Comms had to make the call as to which page to respond to - we ended up in Days Bay. At Day Bay we set up some lights inside so the crews could carry on working and then we transported BA cylinders between the property and the BA tender down the road. The access road was narrow with not much space so the BA tender had to stop at Williams Park. Thanks for all those members who braved the cold and attended the call and to those who attempted but due to adverse weather conditions could not make it.

Tuesday 2nd of Augest was a early wake up call for the unit to attend a secound alarm building fire in Sydney St Petone. The unit provided lighting, K19 and road blocks as well as assisting with the replacement of BA bottles. The fire had destroyed all of the office part inside the building as well as filling the next door building (paint shop)with smoke.

PIC 1 - Looking at the building from the outside
PIC 2 - Lighting up the smoke filled paint shop next door
PIC 3 - Looking into the building at the remains of the office area
PIC 4 - Lighting up the inside of the building
PIC 5 - Looking up at the buckled metal roof trusts inside the building

Initially called to a second alarm house fire the unit was K28 stooddown before we had left the station. Having been told there was alot of smoke showing we decided to go for a drive and assess the situation. When we got to the call we were rebooked back onto the call and assisted with road closure, traffic control and salvage work.

When the sewage pipes blocked up behind the shops in Wainuiomata the Hutt Valley Fire Supoort were called in to assist with flooding in the local dairy. Unfotunately Wainuiomata's aquavac was out of commission so we came to the rescue. For the first hour we were just removing the same amount of water that was making its way inside. After council contractors unblocked the sewage we managed to remove the water from the dairy and call it a day.