110 | COMMUNITY Fire and Emergency New Zealand: Cook Brothers T T Alexia Anderson New station to meet changing needs The upgrade marks a significant step for one of the Mackenzie District’s most relied on community assets. Work is underway to refurbish the Twizel Fire Station, modernising the building to ensure it can continue supporting the area’s growing emergency response needs. The upgrade marks a significant step for one of the Mackenzie District’s most relied on community assets, recognising Twizel’s steady population growth and the increasing demands placed on local emergency services. Originally constructed in the early 1970s, the station has served the community for more than five decades. Built during a period of major regional development, the facility has supported generations of volunteer firefighters and has been at the forefront of countless emergency callouts. However, after more than 50 years of service, the ageing structure was in need of some care and attention of its own. Fire and Emergency New Zealand Property Coordinator for Te Kei Region (Otago and Southland) Ben Bringans says the project has been a long time coming. “The existing station was built in 1971 for the Upper Waitaki Power Scheme project and was overdue for a mid-life refurbishment and upgrade,” he says. The first concept was completed in 2014, highlighting just how long the project has been on the radar. Before work began, a number of issues were identified within the old structure. The building had facilities that were no longer appropriate, including outdated ablutions and decontamination areas, limited electrical capacity, and non-compliant appliance bay doors. Those limitations made everyday operations increasingly challenging for the volunteers who rely on safe, functional, and efficient spaces, particularly when responding to emergency callouts no matter the weather or time of day. The station also had an earthquake-prone rating of <34% NBS IL4, building materials containing asbestos, and a lack of essential fire safety systems. In a region where seismic resilience is crucial, strengthening the building was not optional. Space constraints and an unsuitable communications tower also added to the challenge of day-to-day operations, further reinforcing the need for a major overhaul. The refurbished station will address all those issues. The upgraded facility will feature all-gender ablutions, a new electrical distribution board and mains supply, appropriate PPE and decontamination facilities, and compliant IL4 appliance bay doors. The building will be structurally strengthened to above 34% NBS IL4, while all materials containing asbestos will be removed. The building envelope will also be replaced with new cladding, joinery and roofing, along with the installation of a new communications pole. Overall, the improvements will provide a major change in safety, usability, and longevity of the building. They will also help ensure the station meets modern standards and keeps up to date with the expectations placed on emergency responders. Ultimately, the improvements will significantly enhance how the brigade operates. “The refurbished station will provide fit for purpose spaces for brigade training, equipment storage and circulation for operation response,” Ben says. Future proofing has also been a major focus throughout the project, with specific design allowances made for nationwide rollout of the new Public Service Network (PSN), which will modernise communications across all emergency services. Mackenzie District Council has supported the project by assisting with consents and water supply upgrades, helping ensure the redevelopment progresses smoothly. As part of the delivery of the refurbishment, Cook Brothers were selected as the main contractor following a formal procurement process. We are pleased to provide structural engineering services for Fire and Emergency New Zealand • DOMESTIC • COMMERCIAL 8AM-5PM HEAT & HOME SHOWROOM HOURS 9AM-5PM 224 Thames St, Oamaru Ph 03 433 0011 info@hiflo.co.nz www.hiflo.co.nz • INDOOR & OUTDOOR HEATING SOLUTIONS • SPA POOLS • WEBER BBQ SPECIALIST • PLUMBING • GASFITTING • DRAINLAYING LPG GAS DELIVERIES PO Box 16618 Hornby, Christchurch 8441 WWW.SOUTHERNCROSSASBESTOSREMOVAL.CO.NZ Contact Shawn Burt W504 BOHS, Director Class A Supervisor | Licenced No: RA16090115 NATIONWIDE P: 0800 722 711 M 021 779 803 E: shawn@scar-ltd.com We at Southern Cross Asbestos Removal Ltd are dedicated professionals in asbestos detection, removal and disposal. SCAR Ltd has a strong commitment to the New Zealand community and will always carry out asbestos removal in a safe and responsible manner. We are located in Christchurch and Auckland but travel nationwide to the required sites.
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