12/11/2026
When a serious crash happens on our roads, every second counts. In many communities across New Zealand, volunteer firefighters are often the first people on the scene. To help them prepare for these scenarios, we donated salvaged vehicles to the United Fire Brigades’ Association’s (UFBA) annual Road Crash Rescue Challenge.
What is the UFBA’s Road Crash Rescue Challenge?
Since 1878, the United Fire Brigades’ Association (UFBA) has brought together volunteer firefighters from across the country, representing over 690 brigades. Motor vehicle incidents make up a significant part of the emergency callouts, particularly in rural areas where volunteer firefighters often play a vital role as first responders.
The Road Crash Rescue Challenge is one of the ways the UFBA supports volunteer firefighters, providing them with an opportunity to practise teamwork under pressure and refine the rescue skills needed to respond to emergencies on the road. It also helps practice using specialised tools such as the Jaws of Life, which is used to cut open vehicles quickly and safely.
Bringing road crash rescue scenarios to life
Alongside our partner Turners’ Damaged Vehicle Division, we supported the Road Crash Rescue Challenge for the third consecutive year, donating end-of-life vehicles to be used to simulate different road crash response scenarios. This year, we donated 70 end-of-life vehicles, bringing our total over the three years to 166. These vehicles were written off following an insurance claim, so they were put to good use before being dismantled or recycled.
In 2026, over 100 firefighters from 18 brigades around New Zealand participated. Eight AA Insurance volunteers from around Wellington and the Manawatū also took part as “patients”, wearing injury makeup and being placed in various crash situations. Their participation helped create realistic training conditions, allowing firefighters to assess injuries and extract crash victims under pressure.
Supporting firefighter training and community resilience
We’re proud to support the UFBA and the important work volunteer firefighters do to help Kiwi prevent, prepare, respond and recover from emergencies. In May, we sponsored the Firefighter Challenge, a high-energy, physically demanding event that brings firefighters together to test their skills and fitness, simulating the physical demands of real-life firefighting.
Supporting organisations like the UFBA is one practical way we’re helping build stronger, safer and more connected communities. It also gives our people a meaningful way to use their volunteer day, spending time alongside those who work every day to keep New Zealanders safe. It’s a tangible example of our sustainability approach in action: helping people and communities understand risk, and prepare for and recover from unexpected events.
