Community Joins Bay of Islands Airport to Celebrate New Fire Appliances
- Abbey Duncan-Hughes
- Oct 13
- 2 min read
Bay of Islands Airport has celebrated the arrival of two brand-new fire appliances with a special blessing ceremony, marking a major upgrade in the airport’s emergency response capability and safety infrastructure.
The blessing, held on Thursday 9 October, was led by Kipa Munro (Chairman – Ngāti Rēhia), supported by wahine from Kura Kaupapa in Kaitaia who performed waiata as part of the proceedings. The event brought together representatives from the airport team, Far North Holdings, and local supporters to acknowledge the importance of the new additions.
As part of the occasion, Prestige Diesel presented a taonga to commemorate the arrival of the new vehicles, which will be proudly displayed in the airport’s fire station.
The two Responder 4 appliances, purpose-built in Auckland by Aviation Fire Services Ltd, replace the airport’s ageing 1980s-era fleet.
Based on the Iveco Daily chassis, the vehicles are designed specifically for aviation rescue and firefighting, bringing advanced capability to Kerikeri.
Each appliance is equipped with:
1,950 litres of water and a high-performance pump capable of 1,200 litres per minute
A bumper-mounted monitor with a reach of 45 metres, allowing firefighters to tackle fires safely from a distance
Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (Performance spec C) as the primary firefighting agent
135 kg of dry chemical powder as a secondary agent for fuel and electrical fires
Far North Holdings, which operates Bay of Islands Airport, also acknowledges the valued support of Air New Zealand, whose contribution helped ensure the arrival of the new appliances and continued strength of the Rescue Fire Service team.
Rob Binney, Chief Operating Officer at Far North Holdings said
“These appliances represent a major investment in safety for Bay of Islands Airport. Not only do they support aircraft operations, but they also provide reassurance for the community that we are equipped to respond to emergencies with modern, purpose-built vehicles.”
The addition of the new appliances marks an important step in future-proofing Bay of Islands Airport’s emergency capability — ensuring its Rescue Fire Service remains well-equipped and ready to respond for decades to come.
