Manfeild a Hot Spot for Fire Fighters

Fire rescue crews from around the country will be at Manfeild later this week for the United Fire Brigades’ Association national drivers challenge.

AN event at Manfeild this week offers opportunity for the public to show their appreciation of the country’s fire and emergency crews as they undertake a driving skills competition.

The United Fire Brigades’ Association Firefighter Driver Challenge on August 23-24 will contain largely to Circuit Chris Amon and has drawn crews from all around the country.

The UFBA has been using Manfeild for annual skills testing for some years and the previous driving challenge was in 2017.

“We’re honoured to again have this event here,” says events and marketing manager Stephanie Dench.

“Fire fighters are often unsung heroes and it’s also quite something to see fire appliances being put through their paces on our circuit.”

The full competition comprises a theory test and 11 individual exercises, in which drivers are judged on overall ability, efficiency, aptitude and smoothness of operation of fire appliances.

The exercises are designed to test critical spacial awareness and judgement decisions that reflect real-life challenges of driving on the road. Challenges include bay and parallel parking, straight-line driving, lane changes, braking, estimating clearance, and negotiating serpentine and shrinking chicanes. This event also helps with re-validation for brigade drivers completing Emergency Response Driver certificates.

Spectators are welcome to come along and gain insight into the world of firefighters. Understand and appreciate the incredible skill it takes to control and manoeuvre a 12-ton fire truck with precision and patience.

The UFBA is a national membership organisation of about 550 brigades comprising 13,000 firefighters, eighty percent of whom are volunteers.

For more information contact:

Stephanie Dench, events co-ordinator

027 548 0407, stephanie@manfeild.co.nz