- Wednesday 8 September 2010
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Firefighters shift aside as site cleared for new base
STATE OF THE ART: An architect's impression of the new Carterton firehouse, which is expected to be operational early next year. Demolition of the old base and site clearing began last week. PICTURE / LYNDA FERINGA
The bell is tolling for the old Carterton firehouse a day ahead of its planned demolition to make way for a state-of-the-art replacement.
Fire chief Wayne Robinson said yesterday the 25-member volunteer force have been for the past 10 days operating out of a converted fire vehicle shed that neighbours the old twin-bay station, which was built in 1945.
Masterton firm Rigg-Zschokke has won the tender to demolish the old station and build a hi-tech three-bay replacement firehouse, which is a 30-week contract expected to be completed early next year.
Workers last Thursday started dismantling the roof of the old station and removing windows and wall linings, Mr Robinson said, and a digger was expected to begin demolition of the building tomorrow.
He said Carterton firefighters, since the shift to their temporary base, had been scrambled to two chimney fires and two motor vehicle crashes, the latest of which came early yesterday morning involving a van that struck and killed a heifer on Carter's Line at East Taratahi.
The temporary base housed both Carterton fire engines along with radio and firefighting equipment, he said, with two small firefighters flats at the rear of the station site being used as offices.
Firefighters have put in significant hours during the lead-up to the demolition, clearing a garden space now being used as a driveway out front of the temporary base and building its walls, inside and out.
A couple of farmers had also thrown their weight behind the shift, providing gravel and helping build the driveway.
''She'll be magic once the new station is built and the new water tanker's in place.
The Carterton firefighters are reigning back-to-back winners of the United Fire Brigades national waterways championships and are also reigning Australasian Fire Championships winners.
The volunteer brigade is also gathering together a team from its ranks to compete in the road crash section of the national biennial contest.
Carterton firefighters cut a driver free from his work van after the vehicle hit a cow in foggy conditions on Carter's Line about 5.30am yesterday.
The heifer was killed in the collision and the male driver, in his mid-30s, was left trapped by his legs in the vehicle.
Mr Robinson said the man received only minor injuries and was ''lucky'' the impact had been more on the passenger and not driver's side of the vehicle.
The driver was taken to Wairarapa Hospital for treatment.
