The Dominion Post
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — Forced from their own homes, firefighters in the Christchurch suburb of New Brighton are sleeping over in their station after shifts spent helping other quake victims.
Up to 50 people have been staying in the volunteer station since last Tuesday’s massive earthquake, making beds out of rows of chairs and sleeping wherever they can find room.
Deputy chief fire officer Alan Hickman has been bedding down on the floor of a storeroom since he found his home in Waitaki St, Bexley, devastated by the quake.
“It’s gone. We could fix it last time, but this time there are cracks all around the house.”
Nearly half of his colleagues were in limbo about whether they would ever get back into their trashed homes, he said.
“While these trucks are going out, some of these guys have houses that are worse than those they’re going to help.”
The 34 firefighters had spent the week working on everything from securing unsafe houses to pumping water out of a power company’s flooded building in the central city.
The station had a a little power from a generator, but no water. For firefighting, one truck was pumping water from the Avon River and bringing it back to the others.
Hot meals and home baking had been flown in for the firefighters on helicopters from Rangiora.
Fellow firefighter Erin Heine, a university student, wasn’t bothering to return home to her damaged flat on Marine Parade.
“What’s the point? There’s too much to do here.”
She had landed a bigger room at the station than her boss.
“I’m living in luxury here,” she said, laughing.
Some firefighters’ families are also staying at the station, though most have left Christchurch.
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