Volunteer firefighters on the Port Charles Rural Fire Force have a new ‘smoke chaser' thanks to the Thames-Coromandel District Council and the National Rural Fire Authority.

The Mazda BT50 Double Cab Utility is equipped with fire suppression equipment, emergency lighting, siren plus radios and was officially handed over to the volunteer force this week.

Port Charles Rural Fire Force Fire Chief Lettecia Williams and Thames Valley Rural Fire Authority Principal Rural Fire Officer Del Read with the new ‘smoke chaser' which was handed over this week. Photo: TCDC

The ‘vehicle was purchased recently by the district council, with the assistance of a 50 per cent subsidy from the fire authority.

Port Charles Fire Chief Lettecia Williams says her team is excited by the new vehicle because it can safely carry five crew when responding to emergency calls in the northern Coromandel Peninsula.

'It is a vast improvement on our previous 35-year-old single cab utility, which could only carry two people,” she says.

'That's not enough crew to fight a fire, so more firefighters would have to follow in a private vehicle.”

Thames Valley Rural Fire Authority Principal Rural Fire Officer Del Read says the Port Charles Fire Force is the most remote in the Coromandel.

It is one of nine rural fire forces in the district which are funded by council and staffed by volunteers.

'They're responding to call-outs to all sorts of situations in all sorts of weather and they really need equipment that is up to the job,” says Del.

'This new ‘smoke chaser' can go anywhere, it's easier to drive than the old one - it has power steering - and it will be much more reliable.”

For more information about fire safety in the Coromandel visit the Thames-Coromandel District Council's website at: www.tcdc.govt.nz/firesafety