590

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

[No. 24

Co-ordination Scheme for Reinforcement Between Fire Brigades and
for Rural Fire Protection Established by the Fire Service Council
Pursuant to Section 9 of the Fire Services Act 1949

FOREWORD

The Fire Services Act requires that the services of brigades shall not
be confined to the districts of the Urban Fire Authorities, but shall be
made available to provide fire protection in adjacent rural areas and
for assistance of other brigades for serious fires, war, or other emergency.
The Council has, therefore, pursuant to section 9 of the Act, established
the following scheme for operation by all Urban Fire Authorities in
terms of section 32 (3) of the Act.

PART I--RURAL FIRE PROTECTION

1. Every Urban Fire Authority shall, subject to the limitations of
   men, plant, and equipment available, afford fire protection to all
   property within the limits of category E fire risk classification as
   defined in the Council's Code of Practices, Part I. This area, which
   will be within a radius of approximately 5 road miles of a fire station,
   will be known as the protected area. In certain cases where it is
   justified by the property at risk and the brigade can be expected to
   give effective service, the area to be protected may, by agreement
   between the Urban Fire Authority and the authority controlling the
   rural area, be extended to the limits of category F fire risk classification
   so as to provide cover to a distance of approximately 10 road miles
   from a fire station, in which case the extended area shall be the
   protected area.

2. Except as provided in clause 3 hereof, the Council approves and
   recommends under the scheme that fire protection of property in the
   protected area be carried out pursuant to an agreement in terms of
   section 44 (1) of the Fire Services Act between the Urban Fire
   Authority and the territorial local authority controlling the protected
   area.

3. Where a measure of protection of property is desired in excess
   of that provided for under the scheme or where protection is desired
   of property not coming within the protected area, the cost of the
   protection will be the subject of individual agreements between property
   owners and the Urban Fire Authority in terms of section 44 (2) of
   the Fire Services Act. The Council has recommended that, where
   such agreements are not made, the registration provisions of sections 9
   and 84 of the Act shall apply with respect to industrial or commercial
   property within the protected area and invites Urban Fire Authorities
   to make appropriate recommendations to the Council in respect of such
   properties.

4. The service to be afforded by brigades under the scheme shall
   normally be limited to inspection and advice with respect to protection
   of rural property and the attendance at fires of one pumping appliance
   and crew. It will not relieve the Crown or Rural Fire Authorities of
   their responsibilities with respect to forest and herbage fires under the
   Forests Act 1949 or the Forest and Rural Fires Act 1947.

5. Where property in rural areas comes within the protected area
   with respect to two or more districts, the relevant agreements should
   be made with the concurrence of all Urban Fire Authorities concerned
   or, in default of agreement, by direction of the Council. See section
   9 (2) (e) of the Act.

6. If Urban Fire Authorities find it impossible to make satisfactory
   agreements covering fire protection of properties within the protected
   area the brigade shall attend fires in or threatening such property at
   call without delay, and payment for service will, in that case, be made
   by the rural local authority as provided in the Fire Services Regulations

PART II--REINFORCEMENT AT SERIOUS FIRES

7. It is in almost all cases uneconomic and unnecessary for provision
   to be made for the maintenance within the district of sufficient men
   and appliances for dealing with the most severe outbreak of fire which
   might occur. The Council therefore directs that each Urban Fire
   Authority, if it is itself unable to provide all the necessary appliances,
   shall, where practicable, make agreements with the Urban Fire Authori-
   ties of adjacent districts for the reinforcement of and by the respective
   brigades at serious fires so that sufficient supporting appliances may be
   available to comply with the basis suggested under clause 5 of the
   Council's Code of Practices.