Fire and Emergency received calls for 17 incidents during today’s strike

13 May 2026

Fire and Emergency New Zealand received calls for 17 incidents between 4.30pm and 5.30pm, today, Wednesday 13 May, the thirty-second time the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) has taken strike action.

Of the 17 incidents, nine were in areas impacted by the strike.

One was a small outdoor fire, one the smell of smoke in a building and another was a motor vehicle collision.

There were also five false alarms, and a medical event managed by Hato Hone St John as per contingency planning.

“I want to particularly thank Police for their support during today’s strike, receiving 111 fire calls on Fire and Emergency’s behalf under agreed call-taking and transfer protocols. Their assistance was greatly appreciated,” Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler says.

“Fire and Emergency staff continued to triage and dispatch trucks and crews to incidents.

“The need for additional contingency arrangements today reinforces the disruption caused by the ongoing strike action.

“We remain focused on achieving a fair and sustainable settlement with the NZPFU so we can continue working to keep communities safe and urge the NZPFU to lift strike action while engagement between the parties continues.

“We acknowledge and appreciate the dedication of the volunteers, Operational Commanders and notably our Communication Centre Managers who consistently support our front line.”