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Emergency Response Squadron
The Chief of Army recently approved the establishment of the Emergency Response Squadron (ER Sqn), as a sub-unit of 2nd Engineer Regiment. The new squadron will be established from December this year, and will bring all three existing Fire Stations (at Waiouru, Linton and Burnham) under the centralised command and control of a new squadron headquarters.
While the stations will be renamed as Emergency Response Troops, they will continue to provide full emergency response and mitigation support to their respective formations, in their current locations.
The new Squadron Headquarters will consist of two people: an Officer Commanding (Captain) and Squadron Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer Class One). The Joint Services Fire School (JSFS) will remain a separate entity within the School of Military Engineering (SME).
Lieutenant Colonel Phil Morrison, Commanding Officer of 2nd Engineer Regiment, explains that: “The aim of this initiative is to provide more comprehensive and effective management of Army’s emergency response capability.”
“Given the largely static role of the Emergency Response Troops, we can afford to adopt an economical approach to squadron command and control. Given the wider support of the Regimental Headquarters, I am confident the new squadron command-team will be more than capable of delivering on the expectations of this initiative.”
“The fire fighter trade has experienced growth in the last three years as we have worked to move from a two-shift to three-shift roster. This has been to align conditions of service for both Army and RNZAF fire fighters. Army will shortly realise the full returns on that investment in capability growth.”
“I am excited at the opportunities the new Emergency Response Squadron will deliver for NZ Army fire fighters. Not only will it provide greater career progression opportunities, but it will assist to create opportunities for fire fighters to contribute to wider Army outputs, including combined arms training and operational deployments. This initiative further affirms the valued role and effective support our fire fighters, volunteers included, provide to Defence and the community.”
This page was last reviewed on 24 August 2007 and is current.
