Twizel fire station upgrade to boost emergency response

A $3.5 million upgrade of Twizel's fire station is nearing completion, wrapping up six years of planning and over a year of construction.

The overhaul began in May last year after the building was found non-compliant with modern standards, with the existing station gutted and replaced with a new truck bay, watch room, ablution area and changing facilities.

Twizel chief fire officer Ian Gardiner said the process had been a "long haul" but that it had all been "worth it."

He said Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) had drawn up the upgrade plans "a fair while ago," but they required approval from the Mackenzie District Council.

Resource consent was granted in March last year and construction began in May, with the fire crew moving out to a large shed at the back of the property, built a couple of years earlier, Gardiner said.

"[We] operated out of there for 12 months … we just rolled with the punches and did what we had to do."

Gardiner said the upgrade was driven by the station's need for seismic strengthening, emergency response demands and a nationwide push for cleaner stations.

"There's been a big push to get uniforms so they're not hanging in diesel fumes," he said.

"[Now] they've got their own changing room … we've also got fume extraction now so that when the appliances start up, the fumes are extracted out."

Gardiner said new operating rooms and dedicated spaces would make the station more comfortable and efficient to operate from.

The station was planning a community open day over summer once the upgrade was finalised.

"[There's] still a bit of mud and stuff out the back we're trying to clean up before we want to do it in the summer once it's warmer."

Emergency response capacity has been identified as a priority in the district, with a number of weather and motor events this year prompting discussions among councillors.

In June, an investment group proposed a dedicated St John station for the town, which currently shares the fire station with Twizel Fire and Emergency.

Last month, the council discussed establishing a joint South Canterbury emergency response plan to support neighbouring districts during emergencies.