History

Upper Hutt Rural Fire Force

Upper Hutt Rural Fire Force History

The UHRFF has gone through many changes before it became what it is today. Originally, the Force started out as a civil defence team which was based within Stokes Valley area under the name Stokes Valley Emergency Rescue (SVR) Unit. This occurred shortly after the 1979 floods that extensively damaged the area. The SVR was born out of a group of people in the community who wanted the local area to be prepared in the future. SVR grew very quickly due to the generous support of many local businesses and groups, and for many years helped train scores of individuals how to survive and help others in a natural disaster.

In 1986/87 the Wellington area was hit by a large number of wild land fires, particularly in the Hutt Valley area which had the Fire Service and existing rural fire teams stretched to the limits. It was obvious that there was a need for more volunteer teams in the area, so SVR purchased a secondhand fire appliance to help out if required. The Department of Conservation saw the benefits of such a team in the area and particularly to have access to a well trained and equipped team which could be called on to fight fires in the steep and dangerous countryside surrounding the Rimutaka Hill Road, which the department is responsible for. In October 1998, the Department of Conservation formally took us under their wing by registering us with the Ministry of Forestry as a Voluntary Rural Fire Force under the new name of Stokes Valley Bush Fire Force. The Force was soon busy fighting fires as far north as Waikanae and to the south east as far as Ngawi, but generally helped support the other forces in the local area. This agreement with the Department Of Conservation is still in place today.

The rural fire scene has gone through a number of changes over the years, specifically with the introduction of the National Rural Fire Authority who took over the responsibility for rural fire control from the Ministry of Forestry in 1990. This brought about a much more professional approach to the rural fire scene, with the introduction of set standards to everything from the amount and type of equipment a RFA and therefore UHRFF should have to standardizing training for firefighters, plus making local Territorial Authorities (TA’s) more responsible for the rural land in their control. This has meant the Force has had to build up its equipment, vehicles and personnel over the years so that it can meet these standards.

In 1993, the Force changed its name to Hutt Valley Bush Fire Force as it was more regionally focused and served a much greater area than the former named implied.

In 1995, the Force changed its Fire Authority from the Department of Conservation to Wellington Regional Council (WRC), so it could benefit from the changes in the rural fire regulations, and become more closly linked to these changes. The Force owes much to the department for what it has become today, and we still have agreements to help fight fires for what is now the Greater Wellington Regional Council.

In 2001, the WRC wished to relinquish the force, and after negotiations between the Upper Hutt City Council and themselves, we were offered to become associated with the city council and they become our TA. Late in 2001, our Special General Meeting agreed to the constitutional changes to become the council's rural fire force, and our name changed from Hutt Valley Bush Fire Force to Upper Hutt Rural Fire Force.