Ashburton's Mayor and the Ashburton fire chief are reassuring the community that their local firefighters will turn out as usual during the employed firefighters union latest stop-work action. Photo: LDR / Ashburton Guardian
The Ashburton mayor will be answering his pager if he can, with local volunteer firefighters continuing to respond during the union strike action.
Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Alan Burgess spoke to concerns from members of the public who were worried that the strike action, starting on Friday, might put them at risk with the dry weather and it being Guy Fawkes weekend.
"I can reassure the public that the volunteer fire service in Ashburton is not part of the union action and will continue to turn out and protect the community as usual," Burgess said.
Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown, a member of the Pendarves Volunteer Rural Brigade, said the volunteers were on call.
"In the Ashburton District, all our brigades that turn out are made up of volunteers, but we do have a few administration staff here.
"The Mid Canterbury community won't notice much difference at all."
Brown would be answering his pager "if I'm not doing much else".
"Being a volunteer you can't make every fire but if you're available, you turn out."
Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Alan Burgess. Photo: LDR / Ashburton Guardian
The New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU), which represents 1739 employed firefighters, has issued strike notices for four one-hour full stoppages of work from 11am to midday on November 4, 7, 11 and 14.
However, the union called off the first of four planned one-hour strikes today as negotiations on a collective agreement continued.
The concerns around the strike will have been heightened following the large blaze at Pegasus Bay on Thursday night.
The fire covered around 200 hectares of the coastal area and was caused by fireworks being let off.
The Police have spoken to two young people in relation to the incident.
Canterbury Rural Area Commander, Inspector Peter Cooper, is encouraging anyone intending to light fireworks "to ensure you do so safely".
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