Members will be aware that the state of Arapawa’s appliances are in a shocking state. When appliances have to go off the run for various reasons and relief appliances are obtained, members are advised to be very vigilant as to the worthiness of these relief trucks.

Do not accept inferior equipment at any stage, especially appliances. Check the vehicles out thoroughly, test the pump. Lets make sure we don’t “make do” This is what management are doing and relying on us to do.

If it means that there are no more relief pumps at all, then that has to be, Ring your Union representative and ring the Chief Fire Officer and ask him where are they going to get another appliance from.

This is especially interesting when some composite stn volunteer pumps are K’0’d during the day and still have trouble responding at nightsand some stand alone volunteer stations have 2 pumps.

It would be extremely embarrassing for management to be asked why a crew of four paid to be at work were not able to respond in a fire appliance to a call when the volunteer stn down the road had 2 sitting there doing nothing.

Please be vigilant and aware