Southland fire services to get much needed upgradeJohn Hawkins/Fairfax NZ Wallacetown volunteer fire brigade chief fire officer Blair Eade and Southern District principal rural fire officer Elton Smith with the first Fire and Emergency New Zealand truck in Otago and Southland. A new fire truck in Wallacetown is the first instalment of upgrades to fire services in Southland. Southern District principal rural fire officer Elton Smith said urban and rural fire services have merged and are now under one national organisation called Fire and Emergency New Zealand. Previously fire services were "pretty underfunded" especially in rural areas, with old and ageing equipment, Smith said. Smith said the significant increase of capital into fire services was needed.

Source: Stuff July 02, 2017 06:33 UTC