Featherston Operational Support

On 1st October 1968, at the Featherston Police Station a ceremony was held to establish a Fire Police unit to assist the Featherston Volunteer Fire Brigade at calls. Six members were sworn in, and the unit attended its first call on 5th October 1968 and has been kept very active ever since. The first established in the Wairarapa. The New Zealand Fire Service’s change of focus from Fire Police to Operational Support has been embraced by the Brigade and Unit to form the Featherston Operational Support Unit, part of the Hutt Valley-Wairarapa Operational Support Unit. The brigade purchased a Toyota van (FEATHERSTON 6329) for use by the unit at incidents, members also riding the appliances to boost numbers when required. The van is equipped with signage and equipment to allow a range of incidents to be catered for. Operational Support members are also actively involved with community education, road safety and fire awareness programs. At the scene, the unit ensures the safety of fire personal, the public, and traffic flow around the scene of the incident.