Thread: Vol Fire crew, who is one?

Originally Posted by BRADS

Wind was so strong here that the fire passed the fire truck while driving along the road.......
That's some scary shit



Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Far out I can only believe it.
Looking at the fence the fire ripped over it pretty quick!

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Didn't see much for the smoke haze when flying into chch at midnight.
Didn't see any flames so I am hoping that is a good thing. We landed on 04

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

First day off today from the Port Hills fire. She was a ripper.

One of our crews arrives today for the Port Hills and our crew cover their station with crew and our appliance whilst they are down. last week I sent away all of my grade A retardant to Canterbury. It's not always about the coal face, there's a lot behind the scene as well. Got called out to a tipped over and on fire Digger yesterday, driver was lucky he wasn't injured.

Not any more because my body is fukt, But I was a volunteer in the Victoria Country Fire Authority, helped ifght the Ash Wednesday fires in '83. It was the most terrifying time in my whole 66 years.

They would be on a whole different level as far as explosive fireball type action.
Drove through an area that was wiped out a while back over there. No wonder they lose so many houses when they build them in amongst the trees

It looked as though they'd just clear felled the footprint of the house and that was it. In places you wouldn't be able to walk around the house with your arms out. Nice and cool in the summer though, until.........

It was amazing. In Macedon, brick houses exploded, while a couple of wooden houses still stood. The local publican saved a lot of lives- Had people laying on the floor of the pub, covered with wet blankets and towels. The pets had to stay outside in vehicles and all died of suffocation. The people survived. The ones who stayed and jumped into their pools and water tanks died. We were up a firebreak, felling trees and cutting scrub when we were called on the radio and told to get out NOW. We made it out, the unit behind us didn't. Five good men cooked. Fuck, I hate fire. And I hate the little cnuts who light them.

Originally Posted by keneff

Not any more because my body is fukt, But I was a volunteer in the Victoria Country Fire Authority, helped ifght the Ash Wednesday fires in '83. It was the most terrifying time in my whole 66 years.

Small world. In 83 I was living in Tyabb, Vic. On that Wednesday evening I had night school at Dandenong TAFE. As I drove up towards Dandenong CFA appliances from various parts of the Mornington Peninsular were passing me heading towards the fires. Got to night school and we only lasted about an hour – tutor called it off as it was so hot and unpleasant in the classroom. Suited me as I had night shift after school so was able to get home early for a change and get ready for work. Had about 1/2hr to spare Jumped into my pool to try and cool off – at that stage there was already ash on the water surface. At work some of my Aussie workmates were frantically trying to contact friends and relatives up in the fire area, all to no avail. A pretty unpleasant night shift with the heat and the uncertainty of not being able to contact people.

And yes, a lot of the fires, particularly the ones in South Australia, were deliberately lit. And sadly, not sure about Ash Wednesday though, but over there there is history of volunteer fire fighters lighting the fires! No reflection on NZ volies or keneff at all here please. Just saying.

And of course parallels with the Christchurch fires – houses built in idyllic settings in the bush....

@keneff where did you live in Vic?

There was one up our way in the mid 90s when I joined. Kept us busy and I learned the trade thanks to him. They got him and he did time in Paremoremo. He fessed up on a few fires and they let some go including when he was in the SI on a IFBA Conference
He got caught by chance on camera light a fire on Piha Road

There's currently one that has been charged and of course, innocent until proven guilty

Sent from my workbench

Fire guts former psychiatric hospital in south Auckland | Newshub

Got called out to this in the early hours of the morning. Surround and drown pretty much.
Lots of 100 gallon drums around the place with 'flammable' liquids on them. Turned out to be Asylum Paintball.

Also, very interesting to see what the 3rd alarm response is like compared to a 5th alarm further down the line... We have a whole heap more resources at our expenditure up here.

How about the fireman from Ngaruawahia who was setting bombs in public toilets in Hamilton?

Bradley David Taylor jailed after planting hoax bombs around Hamilton - National - NZ Herald News

Are all volunteer firemen weird?

Originally Posted by systolic

How about the fireman from Ngaruawahia who was setting bombs in public toilets in Hamilton?

Bradley David Taylor jailed after planting hoax bombs around Hamilton - National - NZ Herald News

Are all volunteer firemen weird?

They have volunteered to run into a burning building.... Some things not wired right having said that, huge respect to them

There's a few getting done for lighting fires. These are just a few from NZ:

Volunteer Aramoana firefighter Bradley Hansen sentenced for Hawke's Bay arsons
Volunteer Aramoana firefighter Bradley Hansen sentenced for Hawke's Bay arsons | Stuff.co.nz

Firefighter on trial for arson
Firefighter on trial for arson - crime - national | Stuff.co.nz

Firefighter on arson charge
Firefighter on arson charge | Stuff.co.nz

Fireman pictured fighting blaze had arson conviction
Fireman pictured fighting blaze had arson conviction - National - NZ Herald News

Firefighter on 8 arson charges
Firefighter on 8 arson charges

Do the paid firemen in NZ do the same? Or is just volunteers?

Probably a good thing we don't have volunteer police officers. They might go around stabbing people to get more work.