FIRE BOMB - New Zealand Fire Service

Signs the brainchild of
Christchurch firefighter
Edgy fire safety signs recently installed around Canterbury are the latest in a series
initiated by SFF Wayne Hamilton of Christchurch City Blue Watch.
The ‘black’ signs – depicting graphic
images such as a skull in a frying pan
– are targeted at young people
particularly, with warnings about
unattended cooking, frying, alcohol,
overloaded plugs and heaters, smoke
alarms and batteries.
Wayne saw the opportunity a couple of
years ago to promote the safety message
in front of the central city station.
“We get a lot of foot and road traffic
coming past every day,” he says. “I
thought we might as well get some
signs out there that people will see.”
He used some standard Fire Service
images and key messages to design
some draft signs and took a business
plan to management with the support
of SSO Bruce Irvine. Management
endorsed the idea and funded
production of the signs. About 40
different signs are now available.
Wayne wanted the signs to look
professional and “not just slapped up
in the window of the station”, so he
enlisted the help of colleagues SFF
Tom Mayo and SFF Steve Rule, who
welded the metal frames in which the
signs are displayed. They use a
purpose-built jig at the Christchurch
City station.
A dozen frames with signs have been
installed, with a further 20 ready to
be sent to new sites. The 2m x 1m
signs are double-sided, so two
messages can be displayed at once,
Wayne Hamilton with one of the new signs
outside the Christchurch City station.
Fire Safety
and changing them is as easy as
removing four bolts.
They are displayed outside many of
Canterbury’s career and volunteer
stations.
“They certainly seems to be noticed,”
Wayne says.
AM Dan Coward says the messages
are “compelling and dramatic”.
He has no concerns about them
causing possible offence.
“Fire safety continues to be our focus
and the message is not being taken
on board.”
For more information, contact
wayne.hamilton@fire.org.nz or
bruce.irvine@fire.org.nz
The New Zealand Fire Service Magazine August 2009
23