How many times in the past 12 months have Fire and Emergency dispatch call centres been temporarily closed as a result of understaffing, if at all?

Answer

I am advised by Fire and Emergency New Zealand that on 10 October 2025 between 9-10pm, the Northern National Communications Centre (NorthCom) temporarily ceased operations to ensure they had sufficient staffing onsite to meet their minimum staffing requirements. Critical event planning processes were activated and a refiguration of duties to Central and Southern Communication Centres was put into action. Those Centres were at full staffing levels during the one-hour closure period and service delivery continued seamlessly.