Blessing signals forward progress

 

BY JULIA WADE



Exciting progress has been highly visible for Mangawhai’s brand new emergency service station, with trees being cleared, earth excavated and foundations currently being laid.

However before the concrete was poured for Mangawhai’s new fire station, a large crowd gathered in the early hours of March 27 to take part in a dawn blessing by local Iwi. Mangawhai and Kaiwaka fire brigade members were joined by Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) personnel including board chairman Paul Swain, staff from Wellington headquarters and both Auckland and Whangarei’s regional offices, as well as Kaipara’s mayor, deputy mayor, local councillors and local MP. 

Mangawhai chief fire officer Rob Leslie says the town is very fortunate to be receiving ‘a state-of-the-art fire station’.

“The building is funded by FENZ and will serve the needs of the community for many years into the future,” he says. “It includes two engine bays to house the near new Iveco fire appliance that we currently operate, and a brand new Iveco water tanker that we will be receiving later in 2019.”

The station will also have an area for decontamination after incidents, office space for the members to work from at major incidents, full kitchen and canteen facilities, training room, and outdoor maintenance area to wash appliances and hoses after callouts.

Funds raised from the community will provide a room to house Mangwhai volunteer fire fighters’ community-funded van, an extra training room and covered outdoor social area.

“We want to thank the community as Mangawhai brigade has been very well supported in our fundraising efforts,” Leslie says. “We are looking forward to the opening ceremony for the new fire station later in the year, it will be a major event!”

A gathering at sunrise to giving blessing to a bright state-of-the-art future for Mangawhai emergency services.