Latest news with #UFBA
Scoop
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Scoop
NZ's Firefighters Demonstrate Life-Saving Extraction Skills In Feilding
Press Release – United Fire Brigades' Association From Thursday 12 to Saturday 14 June, over 110 firefighters from all across the country will gather in Feilding at the UFBA Road Crash Rescue Challenge to take part in complex, timed rescues. Tragically, 2025 has already seen 147 fatal road crashes on NZ roads, which trending higher than this time last year – and who is first on the scene in many areas of the country? Our firefighters are. Firefighters today do far more than put water on fire. They now respond to as many medical emergencies and road crashes as they do fires. Along with Police and Ambulance, firefighters respond to some of the worst scenes imaginable. The United Fire Brigades' Association (UFBA) Road Crash Rescue Challenge supports the development of our members' skills in these high-stress and life-threatening situations. The challenge is treated with the seriousness and professionalism of real-life and death scenarios while providing a realistic simulation in a controlled and safe environment. Imagine a scene where a car has flipped over onto its roof, wedged against a dangerously leaning pole. The driver lies suspended, unconscious and bleeding. In the dim light it's hard to know whether there are fractures, cuts or worse. Shattered glass litters the road. Everyday, our members from over 600 paid and volunteer fire brigades across Aotearoa must make precise and difficult calls in these situations, deciding on the safest, most efficient way to extricate a patient, while a life literally hangs in the balance. From Thursday 12 to Saturday 14 June, over 110 firefighters from all across the country will gather in Feilding at the UFBA Road Crash Rescue Challenge to take part in complex, timed rescues – working in teams to remove live 'patients' from multiple crash scenes using real vehicles, real tools and real pressure. It's raw, intensely visual, and an exciting test of firefighters' critical life-saving skills and teamwork that demonstrates the mental and physical demands of real-life patient extraction in serious car crashes or medical situations. The UFBA Road Crash Rescue Challenge is supported by Fire and Emergency New Zealand and AA Insurance who have supplied all the wrecked vehicles used in the simulations – meaning that damaged vehicles are re-purposed for good. This event is open to the public; it's a great opportunity for a close-up experience of what firefighters do. Location: Manfeild Park Stadium, 59 South Street, Feilding Date/Times: Thursday 12 June: 12pm to 5pm Friday 13 June: 9.30am to 5pm Saturday 14 June: 9am to 2pm
Scoop
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Scoop
NZ's Firefighters Demonstrate Life-Saving Extraction Skills In Feilding
NZ's Firefighters Demonstrate Life-Saving Extraction Skills In Feilding Supplied: UFBA Tragically, 2025 has already seen 147 fatal road crashes on NZ roads, which trending higher than this time last year - and who is first on the scene in many areas of the country? Our firefighters are. Firefighters today do far more than put water on fire. They now respond to as many medical emergencies and road crashes as they do fires. Along with Police and Ambulance, firefighters respond to some of the worst scenes imaginable. The United Fire Brigades' Association (UFBA) Road Crash Rescue Challenge supports the development of our members' skills in these high-stress and life-threatening situations. The challenge is treated with the seriousness and professionalism of real-life and death scenarios while providing a realistic simulation in a controlled and safe environment. Imagine a scene where a car has flipped over onto its roof, wedged against a dangerously leaning pole. The driver lies suspended, unconscious and bleeding. In the dim light it's hard to know whether there are fractures, cuts or worse. Shattered glass litters the road. Everyday, our members from over 600 paid and volunteer fire brigades across Aotearoa must make precise and difficult calls in these situations, deciding on the safest, most efficient way to extricate a patient, while a life literally hangs in the balance. Advertisement - scroll to continue reading From Thursday 12 to Saturday 14 June, over 110 firefighters from all across the country will gather in Feilding at the UFBA Road Crash Rescue Challenge to take part in complex, timed rescues - working in teams to remove live 'patients' from multiple crash scenes using real vehicles, real tools and real pressure. It's raw, intensely visual, and an exciting test of firefighters' critical life-saving skills and teamwork that demonstrates the mental and physical demands of real-life patient extraction in serious car crashes or medical situations. The UFBA Road Crash Rescue Challenge is supported by Fire and Emergency New Zealand and AA Insurance who have supplied all the wrecked vehicles used in the simulations - meaning that damaged vehicles are re-purposed for good. This event is open to the public; it's a great opportunity for a close-up experience of what firefighters do. Location: Manfeild Park Stadium, 59 South Street, Feilding Date/Times: Thursday 12 June: 12pm to 5pm Friday 13 June: 9.30am to 5pm Saturday 14 June: 9am to 2pm © Scoop Media
Scoop
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Petition To Change ACC Eligibility For Volunteer Firefighters Handed Over At Parliament
Press Release – United Fire Brigades' Association The 36,000 New Zealanders who signed the petition want volunteer firefighters to receive the same ACC coverage as their paid counterparts. Firefighters and members of the United Fire Brigades' Association (UFBA) gathered outside Parliament to hand over a petition calling for changes to the ACC legislation for volunteer firefighters. The Fighting for Fairness petition, with its 36,000 plus signatures, will be handed to opposition ACC spokesperson Camilla Belich who will present it to the House on Thursday afternoon. The 36,000 New Zealanders who signed the petition want volunteer firefighters to receive the same ACC coverage as their paid counterparts. Queenstown Volunteer Fire Brigade secretary, Katherine Lamont launched the Fighting for Fairness petition in March this year after watching a colleague struggle with post-traumatic stress (PTSD) disorder. 'They attended a really distressing call out and after that the PTSD set in. They were unable to work and had no financial support. I witnessed the impact this had on their life, and I had to do something,' Lamont says. 'Volunteers are not covered for mental trauma or gradual workplace illness through ACC because they are not paid. That's not just unfair, it's a failure to recognise what our volunteer firefighters endure.' Lamont says she could no longer stand back and watch other volunteer firefighters suffer as a result of their community involvement 'Every day, volunteer firefighters stand together with their paid colleagues, facing the same trauma, and the same risks. But when they're injured or suffer mentally because of that service, they're treated differently. 'Changing the legislation would acknowledge the incredible contribution of this special group of people. Volunteer firefighters give so much of themselves to this role. This change would give them the support they deserve. When they need help, help needs to be available,' Lamont says. Kelly Bennetto has seen firsthand the impact having no ACC support can have on a loved one who is a volunteer firefighter serving their community. Her dad, Ian Bennetto, was a Thames Volunteer Fire Brigade volunteer when a call out to a car accident resulted in him contracting Hepatitis C after handling a patient in 1991, a time when there was no cure for the disease. 'What followed was years of failed experimental treatments and drug trials. He was forced to take time off work from his drain laying business and suffered financially as a consequence,' Kelly Bennetto says. Ian Bennetto turned to ACC and the Fire Service for support and while ACC accepted that the accident happened, he was told he wasn't entitled to support because he was not paid by the fire service. Pironga Volunteer Brigade firefighter Jodi Reymer who is a full-time farmer in Te Awamutu, says the work volunteer firefighters do can impact their whole lives and jobs, something that deserves more recognition. 'We're doing the doing the same jobs and we need the same support,' she says. UFBA Board Chair Hon. Peter Dunne says volunteer firefighters are driven by a selfless commitment to their communities, and their role often goes unseen and underappreciated. 'The UFBA fully supports Katherine's petition as it aligns with the UFBA's years of advocating for this important change for volunteer firefighters. We are delighted to hand this over to Camilla Belich, to present this to parliament' Hon. Dunne said. 'Volunteers make up 86 per cent of the Fire and Emergency frontline workforce and are the first responders to most emergencies across 93 per cent of the country's land mass. 'They are our farmers, teachers, retailers and tradespeople who answer the call to duty, leaving their daily lives behind to face emergencies head-on, sometimes at great costs to themselves, their families and their employers,' he says. 'It's clear volunteer firefighters deserve the same protection as their paid counterparts. The 36,000 Kiwis who signed Katherine's petition have sent our politicians a clear message that shouldn't be ignored,' Hon. Dunne says.
Scoop
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Petition To Change ACC Eligibility For Volunteer Firefighters Handed Over At Parliament
Press Release – United Fire Brigades' Association The 36,000 New Zealanders who signed the petition want volunteer firefighters to receive the same ACC coverage as their paid counterparts. Firefighters and members of the United Fire Brigades' Association (UFBA) gathered outside Parliament to hand over a petition calling for changes to the ACC legislation for volunteer firefighters. The Fighting for Fairness petition, with its 36,000 plus signatures, will be handed to opposition ACC spokesperson Camilla Belich who will present it to the House on Thursday afternoon. The 36,000 New Zealanders who signed the petition want volunteer firefighters to receive the same ACC coverage as their paid counterparts. Queenstown Volunteer Fire Brigade secretary, Katherine Lamont launched the Fighting for Fairness petition in March this year after watching a colleague struggle with post-traumatic stress (PTSD) disorder. 'They attended a really distressing call out and after that the PTSD set in. They were unable to work and had no financial support. I witnessed the impact this had on their life, and I had to do something,' Lamont says. 'Volunteers are not covered for mental trauma or gradual workplace illness through ACC because they are not paid. That's not just unfair, it's a failure to recognise what our volunteer firefighters endure.' Lamont says she could no longer stand back and watch other volunteer firefighters suffer as a result of their community involvement 'Every day, volunteer firefighters stand together with their paid colleagues, facing the same trauma, and the same risks. But when they're injured or suffer mentally because of that service, they're treated differently. 'Changing the legislation would acknowledge the incredible contribution of this special group of people. Volunteer firefighters give so much of themselves to this role. This change would give them the support they deserve. When they need help, help needs to be available,' Lamont says. Kelly Bennetto has seen firsthand the impact having no ACC support can have on a loved one who is a volunteer firefighter serving their community. Her dad, Ian Bennetto, was a Thames Volunteer Fire Brigade volunteer when a call out to a car accident resulted in him contracting Hepatitis C after handling a patient in 1991, a time when there was no cure for the disease. 'What followed was years of failed experimental treatments and drug trials. He was forced to take time off work from his drain laying business and suffered financially as a consequence,' Kelly Bennetto says. Ian Bennetto turned to ACC and the Fire Service for support and while ACC accepted that the accident happened, he was told he wasn't entitled to support because he was not paid by the fire service. Pironga Volunteer Brigade firefighter Jodi Reymer who is a full-time farmer in Te Awamutu, says the work volunteer firefighters do can impact their whole lives and jobs, something that deserves more recognition. 'We're doing the doing the same jobs and we need the same support,' she says. UFBA Board Chair Hon. Peter Dunne says volunteer firefighters are driven by a selfless commitment to their communities, and their role often goes unseen and underappreciated. 'The UFBA fully supports Katherine's petition as it aligns with the UFBA's years of advocating for this important change for volunteer firefighters. We are delighted to hand this over to Camilla Belich, to present this to parliament' Hon. Dunne said. 'Volunteers make up 86 per cent of the Fire and Emergency frontline workforce and are the first responders to most emergencies across 93 per cent of the country's land mass. 'They are our farmers, teachers, retailers and tradespeople who answer the call to duty, leaving their daily lives behind to face emergencies head-on, sometimes at great costs to themselves, their families and their employers,' he says. 'It's clear volunteer firefighters deserve the same protection as their paid counterparts. The 36,000 Kiwis who signed Katherine's petition have sent our politicians a clear message that shouldn't be ignored,' Hon. Dunne says.
Scoop
08-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Petition To Change ACC Eligibility For Volunteer Firefighters Handed Over At Parliament
Firefighters and members of the United Fire Brigades' Association (UFBA) gathered outside Parliament to hand over a petition calling for changes to the ACC legislation for volunteer firefighters. The Fighting for Fairness petition, with its 36,000 plus signatures, will be handed to opposition ACC spokesperson Camilla Belich who will present it to the House on Thursday afternoon. The 36,000 New Zealanders who signed the petition want volunteer firefighters to receive the same ACC coverage as their paid counterparts. Queenstown Volunteer Fire Brigade secretary, Katherine Lamont launched the Fighting for Fairness petition in March this year after watching a colleague struggle with post-traumatic stress (PTSD) disorder. 'They attended a really distressing call out and after that the PTSD set in. They were unable to work and had no financial support. I witnessed the impact this had on their life, and I had to do something,' Lamont says. 'Volunteers are not covered for mental trauma or gradual workplace illness through ACC because they are not paid. That's not just unfair, it's a failure to recognise what our volunteer firefighters endure.' Lamont says she could no longer stand back and watch other volunteer firefighters suffer as a result of their community involvement 'Every day, volunteer firefighters stand together with their paid colleagues, facing the same trauma, and the same risks. But when they're injured or suffer mentally because of that service, they're treated differently. 'Changing the legislation would acknowledge the incredible contribution of this special group of people. Volunteer firefighters give so much of themselves to this role. This change would give them the support they deserve. When they need help, help needs to be available,' Lamont says. Kelly Bennetto has seen firsthand the impact having no ACC support can have on a loved one who is a volunteer firefighter serving their community. Her dad, Ian Bennetto, was a Thames Volunteer Fire Brigade volunteer when a call out to a car accident resulted in him contracting Hepatitis C after handling a patient in 1991, a time when there was no cure for the disease. 'What followed was years of failed experimental treatments and drug trials. He was forced to take time off work from his drain laying business and suffered financially as a consequence,' Kelly Bennetto says. Ian Bennetto turned to ACC and the Fire Service for support and while ACC accepted that the accident happened, he was told he wasn't entitled to support because he was not paid by the fire service. Pironga Volunteer Brigade firefighter Jodi Reymer who is a full-time farmer in Te Awamutu, says the work volunteer firefighters do can impact their whole lives and jobs, something that deserves more recognition. 'We're doing the doing the same jobs and we need the same support,' she says. UFBA Board Chair Hon. Peter Dunne says volunteer firefighters are driven by a selfless commitment to their communities, and their role often goes unseen and underappreciated. 'The UFBA fully supports Katherine's petition as it aligns with the UFBA's years of advocating for this important change for volunteer firefighters. We are delighted to hand this over to Camilla Belich, to present this to parliament' Hon. Dunne said. 'Volunteers make up 86 per cent of the Fire and Emergency frontline workforce and are the first responders to most emergencies across 93 per cent of the country's land mass. 'They are our farmers, teachers, retailers and tradespeople who answer the call to duty, leaving their daily lives behind to face emergencies head-on, sometimes at great costs to themselves, their families and their employers,' he says. 'It's clear volunteer firefighters deserve the same protection as their paid counterparts. The 36,000 Kiwis who signed Katherine's petition have sent our politicians a clear message that shouldn't be ignored,' Hon. Dunne says.
