Photo: Supplied by Google Maps
Lower Hutt firefighters say they can't get to fires fast enough because a key station has been closed for nearly four years, while the union says there are stations in Auckland and Tauranga with similar issues.
Hutt firefighters have been largely working out of the Avalon station, after the station on Marsden St had to be closed in December 2021, due to water leaking through the ceiling.
In one case, a resident in Normandale last year had a fire in his garage that grew out of control, burning down the garage and its contents, as well as singeing the house. That resident said firefighters took 12 minutes to arrive from the other Hutt stations - but if they'd come from the closed central station, it would have been five minutes and they could have prevented almost all of the damage.
Wellington firefighters union secretary Kurt Walsh says residents, particularly in places like Petone and the Western hills are paying fire levies yet receiving a reduced service. National secretary Wattie Watson speaks about the problems she's seeing.
