The $51.3 million upgrade to 26 fire stations across New Zealand has been successfully completed. The funding for the upgrades came from the Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund, to which Fire and Emergency applied.
The upgrades included a variety of improvements, such as complete rebuilds, partial refurbishments, seismic strengthening, and facility upgrades. In areas affected by earthquakes, new stations were constructed in Canterbury and Kaikōura.
According to Minister of Internal Affairs Barbara Edmonds, these upgrades will provide regional communities with modern and well-equipped hubs for firefighters to respond from and store their equipment. Fire and Emergency recognized the need for significant investments in its network of over 650 fire stations after its establishment in 2017 and the amalgamation of more than 40 rural and urban firefighting entities.
Despite facing global challenges and supply chain disruptions, the stations were completed on time and mostly within budget. The distribution of upgraded stations includes two in Northland, one in Auckland, three in Waikato, one in Hauraki, two in Hawke’s Bay, one in Rangitikei, two in Wairarapa, three in Wellington, one on the West Coast, one in Tasman, six in Canterbury, two in Otago, and one in Southland.
