What is Fire and Emergency New Zealand's policy regarding earthquake prone fire stations, specifically buildings known to be at greater risk of collapsing during an earthquake; is FENZ confident that these buildings would still be able to provide response, following an earthquake, and that the crews inside would be safe?

Answer

Under the Building Act 2004, earthquake‑prone buildings are not considered dangerous unless they pose an immediate risk to life. I am advised Fire and Emergency does not operate from any building deemed dangerous. I am further advised that it closely monitors all sites’ compliance with statutory earthquake‑prone building requirements, and prioritises seismic remediation, either through retrofit strengthening or full building replacement, within mandated timeframes. While no building can be guaranteed to remain fully operational after a significant seismic event, this remediation programme progressively reduces the risk of non-response and minimises safety risks to Fire and Emergency personnel.