Firefighters will be on strike between 12pm and 1pm on Friday (File photo) Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel
Fire and Emergency New Zealand are warning the public response times to fires could take longer than usual on Friday as career firefighters across the country go on strike.
Professional firefighters will walk off the job for one hour between 12pm and 1pm on Friday amid an ongoing pay dispute between Fire and Emergency NZ and the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU).
It comes after FENZ made an offer in June (5.1 percent over three years), which was declined.
NZPFU said members had not had a pay increase since July 2023.
While emergency calls would still be answered, Fire and Emergency's deputy chief executive of operational rescue, Megan Stifler, said there would be delays to 111 fire calls and the response time to incidents.
So, what should you do on Friday if you are in an emergency situation, and which areas would be affected?
What should you do in an emergency
It's important to note fire calls to 111 would still be answered during the strike action and firefighters would still respond.
Stifler said volunteer firefighters would still be on call during the strike to attend incidents, but as they did not work in larger towns and cities the response time could be delayed.
According to Fire and Emergency, there were more than 11,000 volunteers available to respond from close to 600 stations, and they regularly helped out.
Speaking to Midday Report, Stifler said people should be aware to have escape plans in place and if a fire did occur, expect delays but wait for a response.
For anyone in an industrial building, Stifler said make sure fire wardens were aware of possible delays in a response.
Stifler said Fire and Emergency had not received confirmation from the union on whether there were any conditions for breaking the strike, for example, in a life-threatening situation.
On its website, Fire and Emergency said businesses should be extra careful around any work that could result in a fire and building owners should make sure tenants understood evacuation schemes and procedures.
The public should also delay lighting fires or doing other activities that could create heat or sparks outdoors.
If there was a fire - get out, stay out and call 111.
Will my area be affected?
Stifler said there were maps on the Fire and Emergency website the public could access to see which areas would be impacted by the strike.
If you lived in a large town or city centre, there would likely be delays.
Why is this strike happening?
Earlier this month, the NZPFU told RNZ members were "fed up" with the lack of progress with negotiations.
"The state of the fire appliances is dire and failing, leaving firefighters stranded on the way to calls, at station or even at the incident without water while internal firefighting," NZPFU said.
"The lack of staff, working excessive overtime, the dire state of appliances are all factors in the level and intensity of mental health issues for our members."
Union national secretary Joanne Watson said striking was a last resort.
"It's one of the hardest things that our members undertake. It's for an hour and that's hard enough for them because the community needs them," she said.
"Firefighters in New Zealand undertake 98 percent of all out of hospital cardiac arrests, and so we understand the pressure on the community and the concerns if they're away for an hour, but there's very little else in the toolbox for workers to put pressure on the employer to come back with a reasonable offer."
Watson said the union represented almost every career firefighter in New Zealand.
"The firefighters will be out, the dispatchers for fire in the 111 emergency dispatch centres across the country, and also we have volunteer support officers, trainers, we have people who work in risk reduction, safety, health and well-being, all sorts of roles, they will all be out," she said.
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