The New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) is one of three unions representing employed personnel at Fire and Emergency New Zealand. The NZPFU covers members employed as firefighters, officers, National Communications Centre staff, and other operational roles such as training, volunteer support, risk reduction, and community readiness and recovery.

Collective agreements are re-negotiated periodically, and at least every three years. Fire and Emergency are currently negotiating with the NZPFU.

On Friday 17 October members of the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) will be stopping work for one hour, from 12pm to 1pm. 

What this means for you

Fire and Emergency will continue to answer 111 calls and respond to fires in affected areas during this hour, but in towns and cities we will take longer than usual to respond to some emergencies. 

Our more than 11,000 volunteers will respond from their almost 600 stations across the country and in their own trucks to help as they regularly do when there are multiple emergencies at one time.

The map below shows the areas primarily covered by NZPFU members (career firefighters). The red areas are where our career stations are, and where career firefighters will stop work. The yellow and orange areas are composite stations and our Yellow Watch stations, which are both staffed by both career and volunteer firefighters.

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There are things you can do to prepare for the strike period, and to reduce your risk of harm from unwanted fires. 

In the event of a fire, make sure your household or workplace is well prepared. We’re also asking businesses to be extra careful around any work practices that could result in fire, and building owners to make sure their tenants understand their evacuation schemes and procedures.

• Check to see if your area is affected by the industrial strike action.
• Please be careful doing anything that could start a fire.
• Do not leave cooking unattended.
• If there is a fire, get out, stay out and call 111.
• Have a 3-Step Escape plan with working smoke alarms, two ways out and a safe meeting place.
• For those at work, you should be familiar with your building evacuation plan. If the fire alarms sounds, exit the building, and assemble at your safe meeting place.
• For building owners, be extra careful and make sure tenants understand their evacuation schemes and procedures.  
• Delay lighting fires and or any activities that create heat or sparks outdoors. 

For more detailed fire safety information, visit the pages below:

• Home fire safety
• In the event of a fire
• Building fire safety
• Outdoor and rural fire safety
• Hazardous substances.

If you have any specific fire safety concerns that aren’t covered on our website, please contact us at Web.Communications@fireandemergency.nz.