There is now a greater onus than ever for New Zealanders to provide tank water for firefighting purposes if they live in an area without a reticulated water supply or a sprinkler system.
The storage requirement behind the kit
For example, owners of new rural dwellings must store 45,000 litres of water solely to fight fires. This often requires the installation of two tanks to bring the combined capacity to a minimum of 45,000 litres, as well as the use of fire service kits. That volume is set aside for one job, and it has to be there in full on the single day it is called on. Two tanks is a common way of reaching it, and the way those tanks are arranged then decides which kit you need. If you are working out storage from scratch, our guide to calculating tank capacity covers where fire storage sits alongside household demand.
What a fire service kit does
Fire service kits allow for easy access to tank water and ensure an even and high-pressure flow. The kit is the connection between a tank and a hose. Without one, stored water is just water in a tank: the crew arriving at your gate needs a fitting they recognise, at a point they can reach, delivering flow they can rely on. That is the entire purpose of the kit, and it is why the specification of the coupling matters as much as the volume sitting behind it. A tank holding the right amount of water that cannot be connected to quickly is not doing the job it was installed for.
What is in a standard kit
A kit usually consists of a 100mm fire coupling adaptor, a fire coupling support, a brass gate valve, and a tank fitting. Each part has a role: the adaptor is what the hose connects to, the support carries that connection, the gate valve controls the flow, and the tank fitting is the penetration through the tank wall. Any kit of this nature must be a Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) Approved Fire Coupling for compliance, functionality and safety. That approval is not a formality. It is what makes the connection predictable to the people using it under pressure, at night, in conditions nobody chose.
Matching the kit to your tank setup
Fire service kits vary according to how the tanks are set up at a particular property. For example, a standard fire kit will connect to one above ground tank. Meanwhile, if two above ground tanks are interconnected and water is drawn from both tanks at the same time, it is possible to buy a dual fire outlet kit. As two tanks are often required to reach the minimum capacity of 45,000 litres, a dual kit is a popular option. The kit follows from the storage arrangement rather than the other way round, so it is worth settling the tank layout first. Volumes at this level usually mean large water tanks.
Kits for partially buried tanks
On the other hand, when tanks are partially buried for aesthetic reasons, fire kits become even more involved. As an example, a Promax Buried Single Tank Fire Service Outlet Kit is used when the tank is one metre in ground, with a hose reaching down from the kit to draw water. When two tanks are partially buried in the ground, a Buried Dual Tank Fire Service Outlet Kit will provide the connection between the two to ensure the water in both tanks is equalised. Equalising is the point worth understanding: a two-tank arrangement is only worth its combined volume if both tanks actually contribute when the water is drawn.
Why a registered plumber must install it
Any fire kit connected to a tank must meet specific requirements stipulated by FENZ and/or the local council. This ensures a reliable and consistent flow of high-pressure water when it is needed most and highlights the need for a registered plumber to install the kit. New Zealand's rural regions are increasingly drought-affected, and it's important to remember that urban areas are not immune from drought either, as our article on water restrictions sets out. A dry landscape poses a genuine threat as a potential fire field. Taking every care when connecting fire service kits to water tanks is essential and is a job that must be left to the professionals.
Keep access to the tank clear
Other things to consider when protecting a rural home against fire include future plans for landscaping, which may block a firefighter's or vehicular access to the tank; obstacles could consist of a new fence or trees. The FENZ requirement is that the fire appliance can park within 6 metres of the fire coupling. Making the tanks and couplings easily visible is also important. This is the part most often undone years later: a hedge grows, a fence goes in, and a setup that was fine on day one quietly stops being reachable. Our rural water tank setup guide covers the wider property picture.
Shared supplies between neighbours
There may be cases where shared water supplies between neighbouring properties could be considered, although, according to FENZ, "the criteria still require the supply to meet the quantities within the Code of Practice and should be within 90 metres of the building." Sharing, in other words, does not lower the bar; it only changes where the water sits. Distance is usually the constraint that decides whether the idea works at all on a given pair of properties. If you are thinking about it, treat it as a question for FENZ and your council rather than an arrangement to settle over the fence.
FENZ advice is free
Any information from FENZ regarding firefighting in rural areas, and other places without a mains water supply, is free. Take advantage of their advice and be sure your fire service kits, and all other firefighting precautions, meet their standards and keep you and your family safe. Don't wait for a crisis: take proactive steps to protect your property against the threat of fires in our changing climate. Secure your peace of mind and safeguard your home, and consult with our team today.