Southland - Fire and Emergency

11/06/2026

Tomorrow, between 12pm and 1pm, members of the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union will be stopping work for one hour.

We will continue to answer 111 fire calls. Volunteer stations in the affected cities and towns will respond, as they regularly do when there are multiple emergencies.

If you are at home, do not leave cooking unattended. Make sure you have working smoke alarms in every bedroom, hallway, and living area.
If there is a fire, get out, stay out, and call 111.

If you are at work, know your building evacuation plan. If there is a fire or the fire alarm sounds, exit the building, assemble at your safe meeting place and call 111.

If you are on a job site that uses spark or heat generating tools, we ask you to refrain from using these tools during this hour.

It is important to acknowledge that this strike action will not affect the parts of the country served by our volunteers.

If you are unsure whether your area is affected, please visit https://shorturl.at/thoU5

11/06/2026

Our crews have responded to a number of motor vehicle accidents across Southland.

Please take extra care on the roads — drive to the conditions, slow down, and make sure your vehicle is safe. Keep your windscreen clean too, especially with the low sun affecting visibility.

A small choice can make a big difference.

10/06/2026

😴💤 Did you know you lose your sense of smell when you sleep?

That means if there’s a fire while you’re snoozing… you won’t smell a thing. 😳 Scary, right?

That’s why working smoke alarms are so important, they’re your nose and ears while you sleep. 👃🚨

Here are a few quick tips to stay safe:
✅ Test your alarms monthly
✅ Replace batteries every 6–12 months
✅ Install alarms in bedrooms, hallways & living areas
✅ Never disable them (even when cooking!)
✅ If you have an annoying alarm that beeps, replace it with a long-life photoelectric smoke alarm

These simple steps could save your life, or your family's. 🛏️❤️

06/06/2026

Parents — one of the most important fire safety messages your children can learn is this: 🔥 In a house fire, get out fast and stay out.

It's not a child’s job to find or rescue pets; it’s to get outside safely - even a small delay can be deadly.

Stories like the recent Whakatāne house fire, where a rescue dog alerted its owner to danger, are a reminder that pets often react before we do.

Talk with your children today about your escape plan. Go to https://www.fireandemergency.nz/home-fire-safety/3-step-escape-plan/

https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/05/22/rescue-dog-returns-favour-by-saving-man-from-whakatane-house-fire/

A dog adopted from the pound just three days earlier woke its new owner when a blaze broke out in their Bay of Plenty home.

05/06/2026

Electrical‑fault fires are climbing fast in New Zealand — and our older homes are struggling to cope with modern power loads.

🔥 830 structure fires in 2023 were caused by electrical faults
⬆️ Up from 618 the year before
🏠 Many homes built before 1980 are still running on wiring never designed for today’s heat pumps, EV chargers, and high‑demand appliances
⚠️ Best to avoid DIY electrical work and get wiring checked by licensed professionals

With rising loads and ageing wiring, experts say the risk will only keep growing.
Here’s what the numbers show 👇

Demand for both diagnostic inspection work and full rewiring projects will continue to climb across New Zealand's electrical services sector over the coming decade.

05/06/2026

Milford Sound is one of NZ’s biggest tourism drawcards — and one of our most complex natural hazard zones.

A near‑miss in Alaska shows exactly what could happen here.

The science is wild. For the full story 👇
https://media.truescope.com/20260522050110_0251443e-4a78-404d-b07c-0b2d4c12e761.pdf

05/06/2026

Tomorrow, between 12pm and 1pm, members of the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union will be stopping work for one hour.

We will continue to answer 111 fire calls. Volunteer stations in the affected cities and towns will respond, as they regularly do when there are multiple emergencies.

If you are at home, do not leave cooking unattended. Make sure you have working smoke alarms in every bedroom, hallway, and living area.

If there is a fire, get out, stay out, and call 111.

If you are at work, know your building evacuation plan. If there is a fire or the fire alarm sounds, exit the building, assemble at your safe meeting place and call 111.

If you are on a job site that uses spark or heat generating tools, we ask you to refrain from using these tools during this hour.

It is important to acknowledge that this strike action will not affect the parts of the country served by our volunteers.

If you are unsure whether your area is affected, please visit https://shorturl.at/thoU5

04/06/2026

Tomorrow, between 12pm and 1pm, members of the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union will be stopping work for one hour.

We will continue to answer 111 fire calls. Volunteer stations in the affected cities and towns will respond, as they regularly do when there are multiple emergencies.

If you are at home, do not leave cooking unattended. Make sure you have working smoke alarms in every bedroom, hallway, and living area.

If there is a fire, get out, stay out, and call 111.

If you are at work, know your building evacuation plan. If there is a fire or the fire alarm sounds, exit the building, assemble at your safe meeting place and call 111.

If you are on a job site that uses spark or heat generating tools, we ask you to refrain from using these tools during this hour.

It is important to acknowledge that this strike action will not affect the parts of the country served by our volunteers.

If you are unsure whether your area is affected, please visit https://shorturl.at/thoU5

02/06/2026

💡 💡 A good reminder for everyone:

Following a recent post from our friends at Martinborough Volunteer Fire Brigade, it’s a timely reminder to make sure ashes are completely cold before disposing of them.

We’ve also been called to a number of fires recently where ashes haven’t been fully extinguished. When in doubt, soak them in water and leave them longer.

Stay safe, whānau ❤️