Invercargill Fire Station - BA5 Tuesday 15th March 2005
Building partnerships within the business community was the focus of the Business After 5 held at the Invercargill Fire Station on 15 March 2005. After Drinks and nibbles, Deputy Chief Fire Officer Peter Burtonwood and Kingswell Station Officer Graeme Gilroy gave a presentation on Community Fire Risk Management and how the Business community could be involved in creating fire safety awareness.
The Invercargill Fire District has 54 paid officers and firefighters, 2 Executive Officers and 1 Fire Safety Officer, 17 Volunteer Firefighters and 17 Operational Support (Fire Police). These cover the built-up area of Invercargill City operating from the Invercargill Station and the Kingswell Station. 
Invercargill Station fields 780 calls per year and Kingswell 260 calls.
The Community Fire Risk Management objectives are to:
• Reduce the incidence of fire
• Reduce the consequence of fire for people
• Reduce the consequence of fire for property
Members were told that Invercargill continues to have the highest rate of structure fires per head of population in the country. Invercargill's 211 is the country's busiest fire truck for working structure fire incidents. The majority of structure fires occurring in Invercargill and Southland are directly related two basic activities: HEATING and EATING
Partnerships have already begun with some businesses in the community such as Wood and Coal Merchants, Chimney Sweeps, Real Estate Companies, Southland Times, Invercargill City Council, Invercargill Licensing Trust, The Warehouse and Work & Income NZ. Partnerships have been as simple as providing fire alarms for students who have come from out of town, or providing stickers for wheelie bins on safe practices when disposing of ashes. Peter and Graeme have many initiatives ready to act on but need the community's help in implementing them. They would like organisations to take a serious look at fire safety and the effects of consequences should a fire happen. Not only can there loss of life or property, but there can be loss of income, wages and future contracts. All of these affect the wider community and have a devastating social impact. It is important to have a Fire Risk Management plan in place to minimise effects and this is where Peter and Graeme can help.
Printer Friendly Page 
