firefighters

For the first time in a long time, Barry Gibson can sleep easy.

Queenstown residents may have to decide if it is time for a paid presence alongside their volunteer fire brigade.

Volunteer firefighting is under pressure, a report which could precipitate the biggest shake-up of the New Zealand Fire Service in 50 years says. Bruce Munro tags along with Regan Soper, of the Ravensbourne Volunteer Fire Brigade, to record a week in the life of one of New Zealand's 12,000 volunteer firefighters.

Three weeks of training in the Australian state of Victoria has given a group of Otago rural firefighters vital experience for fighting fires back home, Department of Conservation (Doc) deputy principal rural fire officer Trevor Mitchell says.

A sleeping teenager was rescued by a friend after a fire which forced guests and staff to flee broke out in a major Dunedin hotel last night.

Rural firefighting techniques are being shared by visiting American firefighters and their counterparts in the Department of Conservation (Doc) this week.

It seems the streets around the student quarter are no longer the only domain for the traditional student couch blaze.

The cost of four rural fires in Dunedin late last year, including a major blaze at Mt Allan, has blown out the city's civil defence and rural fires budget by almost $1 million. However, manager Neil Brown said the cost would be recovered.

Dave Seque will turn off his radio, ditch his equipment and say goodbye to the Dunedin Fire Service when he steps down as Dunedin's fire chief next month.

Firefighters and the crew of HMNZS Endeavour fought to contain the flames of a simulated engine fire during one of the largest drills in recent years in Dunedin yesterday.

Strollers on Steamer Wharf stopped in their tracks and there were wolf whistles when five female firefighters posed for photographs for a calendar on Saturday.

Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin has praised firefighters for their dedication and professionalism in keeping the city's residents safe.

Saturday was an evening of pride, as the fire brigades in Queenstown and Frankton honoured their volunteers at an award service and gala dinner at the Memorial Hall in Queenstown.