Our 3-Step Escape Plan

  • First Escape Route
  • Second Escape Route
  • Meeting Place
Notes

Use this space to note any additional information about your escape plan, i.e. who will assist

Your checklist

  • Get low

    Smoke is poisonous and more deadly than flames.

    If you breathe smoke for more than a few breaths it can kill you.

  • Be fast

    A house fire can kill you in less than three minutes.

    Don't spend time trying to save possessions.

  • Close doors

    A closed door buys you time.

    It slows down the spread of fire, giving you more time to get to safety.

  • Get out - stay out!

    People have died by going back into a fire.

    Don't leave the meeting place to go back inside for any reason.

Call emergency services as soon as you are out and safe. Ask for FIRE.

Clearly state your address and let the operator know it anyone is still inside or has not made it to the safe meeting place.

Emergency call 111 Emergency text 111
Fire & Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand accepts all findings from the Public Service Commission’s review into our handling of a series of inter-related complaints

Fire and Emergency New Zealand accepts all findings from the Public Service Commission’s review into our handling of a series of inter-related complaints

28 May 2025

The Public Service Commission has today released a report titled Review of a Series of Complaints made to Fire and Emergency New Zealand. 

This report reviews the handling of a series of inter-related complaints made since 2016 by Sarah Hullah who was a volunteer to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and its predecessor organisation, the New Zealand Fire Service.
The purpose of the review was to determine the next steps required to resolve and close those matters, and to take any steps that were within the reviewer’s control.

Fire and Emergency has accepted all 33 findings made by the reviewer. Separately, Fire and Emergency has reached a resolution with Ms Hullah.

On behalf of Fire and Emergency and its predecessor organisation, the New Zealand Fire Service, I apologise publicly and unreservedly to Ms Hullah for the failure to properly investigate her original complaint and the series of complaint handling failures that followed.

Fire and Emergency continues to work on a significant culture change programme to create a safer, more positive, and inclusive environment for all our people. We are striving to become a different organisation.

Two independent inquiries into our culture identified issues with how Fire and Emergency previously managed complaints. The series of complaints subject to this review were largely made during the period covered by those inquiries and the findings demonstrate the kind of failures that were identified in the two earlier inquiries. As part of our culture change programme we have made significant changes to how complaints are managed at Fire and Emergency, including introducing an independent service that specialises in conflict resolution and complaint management.

Bullying, harassment, and victimisation have no place in Fire and Emergency, and we take all allegations of any such behaviour very seriously. I am committed to creating an environment where everyone feels safe, and that any complaints are handled appropriately.

Fire and Emergency’s new independent complaints service puts people at the heart of the investigation. I am confident that if complaints like those addressed in the review occurred today, they would be handled through a more robust and transparent process.

Kerry Gregory
Chief Executive / National Commander
Tumu Whakarae / Toihau a-Motu

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