Supporting New Zealand’s Firefighter Challenge Through Ongoing Engineering Review
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
Every year, firefighters from across New Zealand compete in one of the country’s toughest physical events “The UFBA Firefighter Challenge”, organised by the United Fire Brigades’ Association. The Firefighter Challenge is designed to simulate the physical intensity of real emergency response scenarios.
Competitors complete a sequence of demanding tasks in full bunker gear and breathing apparatus: sprinting up flights of stairs to a six-storey tower carrying heavy equipment, lifting hose coils vertically, advancing charged hoses under pressure, and dragging a life-sized dummy 30.5 metres - all against the clock.
That is why this competition is often called “The toughest two minutes in sport”. It is a genuine test of the strength, fitness, and skill that real firefighting demands.
How It All Started
The original structural design for the tower was completed in 2014 by Layher NZ. We were first engaged by the UFBA in 2014 to produce a PS1 Producer Statement, structural calculations, and construction drawings for the combat tower. The tower needed to be deployable across multiple locations around New Zealand: the same design, built consistently, wherever the event travels.
The scaffold is erected for less than a week at a time and must perform reliably under wind loads at various sites across the country.
The Engineering Challenge: Designing for Wind and Stability
Unlike a standard scaffold setup, this 13-metre-high, 6.5-metre-wide structure is subjected to repeated dynamic movement from competitors running up and down the stairs while carrying equipment.
The tower is also assembled in different locations around New Zealand each year. That creates additional engineering considerations around:
Wind loading
Structural stability
Repeated assembly and dismantling
Temporary works compliance
Consistency of construction quality
Because the tower is temporary and relatively lightweight compared to permanent structures, wind loading becomes one of the critical design drivers. Rather than calculating a specific wind speed for each individual location, we determined the ultimate wind speed capacity of the structure, rated at 130 km/h and simply require that the tower not be erected if winds above that speed are forecast. This approach allows the same engineered scaffold system to be safely reused across multiple locations while maintaining a consistent engineering basis.
The scaffold was analysed in accordance with NZS 1170.2 for exposed structural members and lattice-type structures. Because no shielding occurs between members, each scaffold element is assessed separately. The stair arrangement was conservatively assessed as an angled wall to account for wind effects on the structure.
The design also accounts for four 550kg ballasts and a 2,400kg shipping container to resist overturning forces during extreme wind events.
Construction Monitoring Across Multiple Installations
Temporary works are only successful if they are consistently assembled the way they were designed.
Over the years, DTCE has carried out construction monitoring and issued PS4A Producer Statements for multiple installations of the tower, including the most recent review in April 2026.
One of the strengths of this project is continuity. The same scaffolding crew has been used consistently across the years, which gives us confidence in the quality and consistency of construction, helping maintain consistency with the original engineering design and detailing.
One of the things we are genuinely pleased about with this project is the longevity of the original design. The structural drawings produced in 2014 remain unchanged. When future events require the tower to be constructed, no new structural drawings are needed; the existing PS1 and drawings remain current and valid, provided construction proceeds in accordance with the original documentation.
Supporting the Community
Engineering isn't just about commercial projects. It's about the communities we live and work in. This is one of the projects we continue to support as part of giving back to the wider community and emergency services sector.
DTCE provides this ongoing engineering support on a pro bono basis.
The firefighters who compete in the UFBA Challenge are the same people who turn out when things go wrong: often volunteers, always committed. Supporting the infrastructure that makes this event possible is a great honour for DTCE and a meaningful way to contribute to the firefighting community. The Firefighter Challenge promotes fitness, teamwork, and operational capability within New Zealand’s firefighting community. We are proud to continue supporting the event each year by helping ensure the temporary structure is safely assembled and ready for competition day.
Supporting projects like this is part of DTCE’s broader commitment to community and industry initiatives across New Zealand.
Temporary structures may only exist for days or weeks, but the engineering behind them requires long-term thinking, practical experience, and careful oversight throughout every installation. Consistent construction monitoring and project continuity remain essential to maintaining safety and performance over time.
If you require temporary works engineering, construction monitoring, or structural review services, contact the DTCE team to discuss your project.
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