Selwyn_Times: January 19, 2022

Selwyn Times Wednesday January 19 2022
8
NEWS
• By Susan Sandys
FIRE BOSSES are urging
residents to make sure trees are
not overhanging or too close to
driveways after an appliance was
damaged.
Fire and
Emergency
New Zealand
group manager
Selwyn Dave
Berry said
the Lincoln
Volunteer Fire
Brigade truck
sustained panel
damage as well as broken side
beacon and scene lights.
It happened when volunteers
were responding to a medical
call to a critically ill patient in
the Lincoln area recently. They
found the space up the driveway
narrow due to tree growth.
The truck had to be temporarily
taken off the road for about
$2000 of repairs.
To ensure there was sufficient
access, people needed to make
sure their driveways had at least
4m clearance both sideways and
from the ground to any overhanging
branches.
“Our vehicles are generally
larger and heavier than those
used by other emergency services,”
Berry said.
“Poor or inadequate access
can result in a delayed response
to an emergency and directly
impact the safety of occupants
or the protection of property.”
He also reminded residents to
make sure their street address
or RAPID numbers were clearly
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Call to address access
issues for fire appliances
Dave Berry
DAMAGE: Fire trucks need
a 4m x 4m space around
driveways. A Lincoln
appliance sustained a
broken side beacon when
volunteers responded to a
medical callout.
visible from the road.
Owners of larger properties
needed to make sure there were
alternative access routes, and to
be ready to point out to crews
any bridges or culverts that large
and heavy fire appliances may
not be able to safely cross.
“These simple acts can help us
get to the emergency quicker,”
Berry said.
Big fish and good
river conditions
lure salmon anglers
• From page 1
“We have a lot of big fish,
which is really impressive,”
Singh said.
About 30 people were registered
for the competition, which
would run until April 30. Just
one entry per person is permitted,
and only about five people
have so far weighed in their
catches, with the peak of the
season not until next month.
McMillan agreed it was fantastic
to see plenty of big salmon
around.
“The last eight to 10 years
of salmon fishing has been
very, very tough in the Rakaia
River, but to see the number of
fish we have seen and the size of
them has been good,” McMillan
said.
He had been “absolutely
rapt” to catch the biggest fish
he had landed since 2013,
which was hooked on a cold,
overcast and windy afternoon.
He was holidaying at the north
Rakaia huts with wife Vicki
and his two daughters when he
decided to pop out and take the
family pet labrador Ferg fishing
with him.
After jetboating upstream he
cast his rod from the riverbank.
“The fight and the thrill of
getting the biggest fish I have
caught in a number of years
was well worth the cold hands,”
McMillan said.
He was not confident of winning
the Southbridge Hotel
competition.
“I’m not thinking it’s a done
deal, because there’s plenty of the
season to go.”
Meanwhile, Fish and Game
said it was too early to confirm
anecdotal reports from anglers
of the best start to the season in
10 years.
North Canterbury Fish and
Game Council spokesman Richie
Cosgrove said the Rakaia had
enjoyed good river conditions
so far this season, and salmon
generally ran there earlier than
the Waimakariri River.
“There’s certainly a lot of activity
down there at the moment,”
Cosgrove said, referring to
anglers converging on the river’s
two mouths and lagoon area.
Set against a backdrop of a
declining fishery, there is a new
bag limit on sea-run salmon season
in force this season. Anglers
are restricted to just two for the
whole season, compared to one
salmon each day last season.
Save money on your water rates, help your
garden and help keep water flowing without
restrictions this summer.
Top tips for using your water sense:
· Use a watering can or hand-held hose instead of a sprinkler
· Avoid unnecessary water use during peak demand times
to help maintain water pressure for everyone
Don’t irrigate between 6–9am or 4–9pm daily
Check weather conditions before watering
Don’t water during the middle of the day or in hot
conditions – a cooler overcast day is best
Irrigate wisely
10PM
12AM
2AM
9PM
6PM
8PM
when to
water
4AM
6AM
4PM
8AM
9AM
2PM
selwyn.govt.nz
12PM
10AM
Think smart with your
water use and save money.