Katikati Volunteer Fire brigade is preparing to load its appliances – not with water but equipment – to move to its new station this month.

With construction of the town's new station on the corner of Wedgewood St and Middlebrook Drive complete, Katikati Fire Brigade deputy chief fire officer and building manager Gavin Amrein says his brigade plans to move on-site in February.

Katikati Volunteer Fire brigade is preparing to move into its new station (pictured), early this month.

Katikati Volunteer Fire brigade's new station on the corner of Wedgewood St and Middlebrook Drive is complete – and ready for its firefighters.

'The end of the January was the plan – and we shouldn't be far off this,” says Gavin.

'The building of the station is finished – other than the garage out the back, which the contractor will start in February – now it's just the electrical side to finish off,” says Gavin.

'But we won't be far off target, I think.”

Gavin says the task of moving from Main St to the Middlebrook section of town will not be a major; the brigade plans to fill its trucks with equipment and transport it to their new pad – but will still be in operation to attend callouts.

'We will still be able to respond, when we are moving, if the siren goes; and I think we'll have it [moving] all finished in a day.”

Following the move, Gavin says the station's siren will be relocated at the new station. When set up, the siren will likely be turned off at night-time to quell complaints, as currently it sounds for an emergency no matter what time – day or night.

The new station is set to house Katikati's two fire trucks; and has a locker room, two offices, a social room, and kitchen and toilet facilities for the brigade's 23 members.

'We've a designed locker room to store equipment and clothing, a drying room to hang wet clothing after call-outs, and a designed sink for cleaning breathing gear. Before, we'd use the kitchen.”

Gavin says the offices will satisfy ever-increasing paperwork duties, with the Main Rd site offering nowhere to sit down, so they work out of an old toilet area.

A garage at the new site will house the brigade's ‘white fleet' of a water tanker and van, with a fire hydrant nearby.

The new digs is a stark contrast to the current station, built by Hilton Rayment in 1955 to house one fire truck and 10 members, which has become cramped and unsuitable in recent years.

'When the siren sounds all doors will open automatically, the alarm deactivates and lights turn on; this will allow for a faster response,” says Gavin.

The building will also be earthquake-proof and eco-friendly.

'We're retaining our roof water, recycling all of our water, and re-using it for toilet facilities.”