Download PDF: Issue 54 - New Zealand Fire Service

Fireworks
Whakatane’s planned
40-minute fireworks display
went off in just 40 seconds.
Guy Fawkes night itself was relatively
quiet according to Communication
Centre managers. However things
were a little livelier the following
Saturday and we must make special
mention of the Whakatane 40-second
spectacular.
Whakatane Rural Volunteer Fire
Force chief Bill Wycherley was there
with his crew, as he has been for the
last five years.
“We take down the rural fire
appliance, a smoke chaser, and half
a dozen or so interested volunteers
to help sandbag the launchers and
so on. Then we just stand back while
the show goes on. We’ve only had
one spot fire in the past and it was
just about the size of a dinner plate.”
“So this year, we got everything
ready and about a minute before
9pm the fireworks were lit by the
pyro technician with a gadget that
malfunctioned and sent out a small
shower of sparks.
14 Issue No. 54
“Ten seconds later there’s an
explosion in the box where the
main cache was held and all hell
breaks loose – the whole lot went off
at once. My truck was about four
metres away and we dived out of it
and tried to get behind a wheel. There
was stuff coming over the top, round
the sides, underneath, burning paper
raining down. It was a frightening
experience. I had ear muffs on but it
was unbelievable; huge thuds and
explosions. We had to dodge all the
flying stuff which was coming from
every which way,” he said.
Bill says it was every man for himself
and the 40 seconds felt like it must
have done during a World War II
blitz.
“We waited it out, poked our heads
up when it went quiet and looked
around at the 50 or more spot fires
that were going. The little island in
the river was also on fire. We did a
quick head count to make sure
Photo: Robert Hepple
Caught up in the Big Bang
The number of call outs to Guy Fawkes-related incidents were down again this year following
the 2007 restriction on the sale of works and a growth in support for public events.
everyone was OK and then just dealt
to fires with the help of the volunteer
brigade’s portable pump. Everyone
was OK, just one minor burn and a
couple of scratches.”
CFO Ken Clarke was home watching
the Canterbury v Wellington rugby
when he got called out.
“It went off, in a big hurry. Set fire
to the vegetation, toetoe and trees –
sky rockets were going horizontal,
vertical every angle you could
think of. Guys jumping for cover and
all sorts.”
“We turned up with two trucks and a
van and pretty much just watched it
all before going home about an hour
later. There wasn’t much we could
do and the Rural guys had it under
control,” he said.
Bill says the team finished up about
1am and then headed back out over
the next few days to damp down a
few hot spots.