Firefighters forced to brake over cheap tyres

 

BY JULIA WADE

Firefighters across Auckland will now have to be more aware of their travelling speed when racing to an emergency, due to their fire trucks being fitted with an inferior tyre brand. 

Following the discovery, New Zealand Professional Firefighters’ Union, Auckland local secretary John Waldow has been forced to instruct firefighters to ‘put the brakes on’. 

“Factory-fitted tyres with an M-rating, are rated for speeds up to 130kph,” he says. “However cheaper, inferior tyres fitted to some fire engines have a maximum speed rating of just 100kph and no safety speed margin… they are not fit for purpose.”

Firefighters Union has ‘slammed’ Fire and Emergency NZ for attempting to save money by fitting the brand to frontline fire appliances ‘at the expense of the public and employees’.

Although previously allowed to drive at 105kph when responding to urgent callouts, under the Fire and Emergency NZ Response Driving Policy firefighters now risk police prosecution for speeding if their fire engine has been fitted with the inferior, J-rated brand. 

The cheaper tyres mean slower speeds and consequently a delayed response to emergencies and will put the community at risk Waldow says. 
“Any delay in the response of fire appliances or emergency vehicles could ultimately lead to a loss of life.” 

However Mangawhai Fire Brigade’s chief officer, Rob Leslie, assures the community the local fire trucks are not fitted with the J-brand and can still respond to emergencies within a speedy time. 

“We were made aware of the issue of a certain brand of tyre about six weeks ago,” he says. “We checked our appliance and discovered it doesn’t have this brand on it so we can operate as per normal turnout.”

Kaiwaka Fire Brigade were unable to be contacted in time of print for comment.