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Members of the Puaikura Volunteer Fire Brigade in their newly donated structural fire fighting gear
that is made of special material and are fire retardant to better protect the volunteers.
Source: Cook Islands News
The volunteers are now better kitted out for their roles in fighting fires thanks to the donation of structural
firefighting gear and personal protective equipment. Funded by the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group
of States (ACP) – European Union (ACP-EU)-funded SPC implemented Building Safety and Resilience in
the Pacific Project (BSRP) volunteer brigade Chief Fire Officer Barry Hill and long-time volunteer fire fighter
Patricia Barton had the opportunity to meet the team from the Fire and Rescue New South Wales while
attending the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC) in Wellington. The
pair also took part in the Pacific Islands Emergency Management Alliance (PIEMA) and the Pacific Islands
Fire and Emergency Services Association annual general meetings. After meeting some of the executive
members from Fire and Rescue NSW, Hill and Barton asked if it was possible to obtain more structural
firefighting gear in a range of sizes to accommodate for the growing number of women volunteers with
the Puaikura volunteer brigade. Of the 13 Puaikura Volunteer Fire Brigade members – four are women.
Commissioner of Fire and Rescue New South Wales Greg Mullins along with Mal Connellan, Chris
Jurgeit, Vince Pan obliged the request by Barton and Hill for structural fire gear and donated these which
includes boots, jackets, pants and helmets that are made of special material and are fire retardant. Structural
firefighting gear is the gear officials wear when they tending to structural fires as opposed to bush fires. It
offers the best level of protection from the heat and flames and allows fire fighters to get
close to the scene but stay totally protected. It has taken over 10 years for the volunteer
brigade to receive the gear and the team were very grateful for the support they have received.
Source: Cook Islands News
Invaluable Puaikura Fire Brigade volunteers now better
protected to fight fires
The Pacific Islands Emergency Management Alliance (PIEMA) is a strategic alliance between National Disas-
ter Management Offices (NDMO), Pacific Islands Fire and Emergency Services Association (PIFESA, Pacific
Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP), Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management New Zealand (MC-
DEM), Australian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC), UN Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the private sector, working towards a coordinated and interoperable
environment for effective emergency and disaster preparedness and response in the Pacific Islands region.
About PIEMA