logo
Kiwis Return From Assisting With The New South Wales Floods

Kiwis Return From Assisting With The New South Wales Floods

Scoop02-06-2025
Press Release – Fire and Emergency New Zealand
The contingent of four Community Liaison Officers and two Jurisdiction Liaison have been operating mainly in the flood-hit areas of Taree and Port Macquarie.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand has welcomed back its specialist team from their deployment to New South Wales.
The contingent of four Community Liaison Officers and two Jurisdiction Liaison have been operating mainly in the flood-hit areas of Taree and Port Macquarie.
Deputy National Commander Brendan Nally says he is proud of the efforts of the team who were faced with significant devastation caused by the floods.
'At the request of the New South Wales State Emergency Service, our people were tasked with supporting Australian emergency services and communities affected by the flooding,' he says.
'This involved going from door to door in the affected communities, speaking with homeowners, answering their questions, addressing their concerns about the damages from the flooding, and ensuring they knew how to access help.
'The willingness of our people to lend their skills to our close neighbours in their time of need is greatly appreciated.
'They bring home with them new experiences and knowledge that will benefit the communities of Aotearoa New Zealand when we're faced with our own severe weather events.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Snow welcomed by skifield operators
Snow welcomed by skifield operators

Otago Daily Times

time08-08-2025

  • Otago Daily Times

Snow welcomed by skifield operators

Snow at long last reappeared in Otago yesterday with the long drought ending for skifield operators. Snow was falling across parts of Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes District Council and the Danseys Pass Rd was closed. There were also warnings is place for State Highway 6 between Kingston and Lumsden, and SH85 between Ranfurly and Becks, and snow had fallen on the Crown Range Rd. Naseby also received a good dusting. Both The Remarkables and Coronet Peak received 10cm of snow each. Over the hill, Cardrona and Treble Cone also enjoyed some snow. The skifields had endured a "dry July" where next to no snow fell in the month. The Remarkables had received 89cm to date, when its seasonal average is more than 3.5m. Coronet Peak has had 57cm, but averages about 1m. NZSki boss Paul Anderson said without their snowmaking systems and high-tech groomers, the two ski areas would not have been open. "Snowmaking's been the hero. "It's what keeps us running and open in a year like this." Although there are scarce options for those wanting to venture off-piste, high-quality skiing on the main runs has been maintained, Mr Anderson said. Snowfall has been well below average, "but these things do fix themselves". Last year, after a dry July and unsettled August, there was a "very, very snowy September". Despite the Australian skifields now enjoying a good season, visitation to Coronet Peak and The Remarkables has remained "pretty solid", up 10-15% on last July, Mr Anderson said. The Cardrona and Treble Cone peaks happily welcomed the snow after a few weeks of dry weather. "In a lean snow year, any top-up is a welcome sight." chief mountain officer Laura Hedley said. ". . . natural snow is the icing on the cake we're all looking forward to." Having only had a couple of small snowfalls over the last few weeks, the skifields had been reliant on the snowmaking and grooming teams to maintain skiing conditions. MetService meteorologist Katie Hillyer said this spike in snowfall after a quiet period was in line with typical trends. "Often sort of end of winter towards spring is when we will start to see a few more of these systems from the Southern Ocean that bring those very cold air masses," she said. — Allied Media

Revolutionary SuperPac aircraft debuts in Australia tour & race
Revolutionary SuperPac aircraft debuts in Australia tour & race

Techday NZ

time04-08-2025

  • Techday NZ

Revolutionary SuperPac aircraft debuts in Australia tour & race

A new humanitarian aircraft will be seen for the first time in Australian airspace as it tours the country ahead of the Outback Air Race in support of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). Aircraft tour The SuperPac 750XL-II, produced by NZAero, is the world's first commercial Extremely Short Take-Off and Landing (XSTOL) aircraft. The aircraft requires only 200 metres for take-off and is capable of landing on steep, rugged or unsealed terrain. Already in use by the United Nations and humanitarian agencies across 28 countries, its Australian debut coincides with its participation in the 2025 Outback Air Race. The aircraft will be showcased in 22 public stopovers across Queensland, northern New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, Canberra and Sydney during August and September. Notable stops include Port Macquarie, Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Cairns, Mt Isa, Yulara, Alice Springs, Katherine, Broome, Carnarvon, Perth, Albany, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart, Canberra, Sydney, and Newcastle. Humanitarian capability The SuperPac 750XL-II was developed over seven years and is described as a next-generation, more powerful and fuel-efficient update of the 750XL. Its design enables take-off from and landing on semi-prepared strips, hillsides and other challenging terrains, making it suitable for post-disaster evacuations and humanitarian supply runs. Stephen Burrows, Chief Executive Officer of NZAero, explained how the aircraft addresses challenges posed by climate change and remote access. "We know that the effect of climate change is accelerating across the world and it is now more devastating to human health, economies and the environment than ever before. Increasingly, the fight against its impact is being fought by nations around the world from the skies. For geographical areas which are heavily impacted by drought, natural disaster or are geographically isolated, this utility aircraft can lift more than its own weight, bringing hundreds of kilograms of supplies to remote regions and leaving with a cargo hold full of perishable produce, providing a critical economic lifeline. The smaller aircraft requires less training to fly and less time to refuel and take on more retardant. It can also climb to altitude significantly faster and requires a landing strip that is a fraction of the length of large planes. The humanitarian aid agencies we work with across the globe tell us our aircraft saves lives every day it is operating," he says. Burrows added that modular accessories allow the aircraft to be converted quickly for roles such as dispersing fire retardant during wildfires, cloud seeding via rainmaking silver iodide particles over drought-affected regions, or agricultural applications such as topdressing. The SuperPac is already operational in the Pacific Islands, supporting medical evacuation, humanitarian aid, disaster response, border patrol and maritime surveillance. It also operates as part of the United Nations World Food Programme in Africa. Race and tour details The 2025 Outback Air Race, a 3,800km aerial time trial supporting the RFDS, will feature over 40 participating aircraft. Since its inception, the event has raised more than AUD $4 million for the Flying Doctor, which provides aeromedical retrieval services for rural and remote communities. The race will begin in Yulara, Northern Territory, and end in Carnarvon, Western Australia. The event is judged on navigation precision and timing rather than speed and covers 10 scheduled stopovers over 15 days. Participants and crews are drawn from across Australia and New Zealand. The SuperPac will complete a pre-race tour from 7 to 21 August, making stops throughout eastern Queensland and northern New South Wales. A further post-race tour will begin in Perth, travelling through South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, Canberra, Sydney and Newcastle. Communities, aero clubs, and aviation schools along the planned route are encouraged to reach out for visits or demonstrations. The tour is intended to raise awareness of the RFDS's work and to introduce the SuperPac to Australian aviation enthusiasts. Aviation applications Dee Bond, NZAero Director and pilot for the Outback Air Race, said the event will be the first occasion the SuperPac is seen in Australia's airspace. "We're excited to meet fellow pilots, engineers and aviation enthusiasts across Australia and to introduce them to a uniquely capable aircraft. This tour is more than a showcase – it's a celebration of how aviation can change lives, especially in remote and challenging environments," she says. Bond emphasised the SuperPac's suitability for medivac service operations. "Whether it's evacuating a patient from a remote cattle station or delivering urgent supplies after a cyclone, this aircraft was built for exactly those kinds of missions. It can operate on short, unsealed airstrips or roads and carry significant payloads, making it a practical tool for medivac, disaster relief and humanitarian response. It also allows us to demonstrate how advanced aviation engineering is solving real-world problems. This aircraft's modular design means it can be reconfigured within minutes for tasks like freight, surveillance or passenger transport. We're proud to support the Royal Flying Doctor Service by participating in this year's race, and we hope the tour inspires more people to understand what's possible when innovation is driven by purpose," she says. NZAero states that the aircraft can be used for numerous additional applications, including surveying, pollution monitoring, passenger and cargo transport to remote sites, aerial photography, and geophysical surveying, such as detecting variations in the Earth's magnetic field and measuring greenhouse gas concentrations. According to Burrows: "The predecessors to the SuperPac have also formed a critical part of the agricultural sector for the past five decades, spreading fertiliser and pesticides. With climate change set to dramatically increase the intensity of locust swarms this technology is also playing a role in protecting crops around the world. The planes can now be equipped with Lidar, which scientists are using to map in 3D to help with flood modelling, measuring post-climatic event land movements, as well as identifying the optimal location for forestry tracks, rail and the power industry. This equipment is also used by researchers in other nations to detect the remains of ancient civilisations", he says. Aero clubs and communities along the tour route are invited to view the aircraft and engage with the NZAero team during public stopovers.

Bay of Plenty firefighters join battle against Manitoba wildfires
Bay of Plenty firefighters join battle against Manitoba wildfires

NZ Herald

time30-07-2025

  • NZ Herald

Bay of Plenty firefighters join battle against Manitoba wildfires

There are also two local forestry firefighters, one each from Timberlands Limited and the Forest Protection Service, and the two specialist fire team members. Fire and Emergency New Zealand deputy national commander Brendan Nally. Photo / Supplied Fire and Emergency NZ deputy national commander Brendan Nally said since arriving, the taskforce and specialist team were helping manage several fires alongside a small number of Manitoba Wildfire Service personnel. Manitoba is experiencing one of its worst fire seasons in years, with more than 1.2 million hectares burned so far. He said New Zealand now had 50 personnel aiding the wildfire response in Lake Cross, helping stop fires from spreading in the 'very remote' and physically challenging terrain. Much of the Kiwi crews' work involved digging up hotspots and creating firebreaks, which was 'tough, physical, arduous work' in the middle of the northern hemisphere summer. The 43-strong New Zealand taskforce of mainly volunteer firefighters who are helping control wildfires in Canada's Manitoba province. Photo / Fire and Emergency NZ According to a Canadian National Wildland Fire Service report, the fires were the result of reduced snowpack levels, 'warmer-than-average' temperatures, low soil moisture and elevated drought conditions. Nally said the description 'arduous firefighters' was apt. 'Our Kiwi teams are working 14-day rotations, 12-hour shifts, with three days' break to rest and recuperate, before doing it all again. 'They're miles from anywhere, camping and sleeping in tents, and having pre-prepared basic rations and plenty of hot meals helicoptered to them.' Nally said they were mainly using hand tools. 'Each Kiwi firefighter's backpack contains their firefighting tools, including a shovel, a spade, a fire retardant, and a heavy 'grubber' type tool to dig, akin to using a hoe in people's gardens.' Nally said they also had a personal GPS locator in case they became separated from their crew. One of the wildfires in Manitoba province in Canada. Photo / Fire and Emergency NZ He said the scale of wildfires in Canada and Alaska in the US, and the land destroyed, was 'enormous'. 'It's hard for people in New Zealand to get their heads around the scale of these fires and how tough and dangerous the conditions are.' Nally said the latest Canadian wildland service report revealed that 6.4 million hectares across five provinces had been lost. 'That's close to half the North Island, and multiple fires are still burning across Canada and in Alaska.' Alaska's wildfires have destroyed more than 1.2 million hectares this year. Nally said the taskforce and specialist team's experiences in Canada would provide 'invaluable' skills and knowledge that could be used to respond to wildfire emergencies in New Zealand. 'I'm always grateful for the high calibre of people who put their hands up to deploy overseas. I'm immensely proud of them. 'To be honest, there were so many people keen to be part of this taskforce, we had to beat them off with a stick.' He said it was likely that more Fire and Emergency personnel would be sent to Canada once the taskforce and specialist team's deployments ended. Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store