Queenstown Airport’s taken receipt of a new fire engine — and bolstered the airport emergency service (AES) team by seven following the easing of Covid border restrictions.

AES assets head Wayne Stiven says the new fire engine, a Rosenbauer Panther S, enables the team to respond to an emergency with the latest fire and rescue technology.

The airport already has two Rosenbauer Buffalo fire trucks, bought in the mid-2000s, but the Panther S is a specialised aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle, built to Queenstown Airport’s specifications in Austria, and carries 7000 litres of water, 1200 litres of foam, and has a bumper monitor and thermal imaging camera.

Meantime, new recruits, above, from left, Tegan Stallard, Stephanie Caruso, Jackson Leigh-Smith, Cole Hands, Lee Winter and Peter Mahon have already done part of their training at Changi Airport’s Singapore Aviation, while Aoife Sheehan is undergoing that training now.

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