Fire Evacuation Schemes

Building owners are legally responsible for taking fire safety precautions in their buildings. This includes implementing fire evacuation procedures(external link) to ensure people can be evacuated in the case of a fire or alarm of a fire.

Some buildings must have their evacuation scheme approved by Fire and Emergency New Zealand. When this is the case, the building’s owner must apply to FENZ in writing through the Online Services website(external link).

Section 75 of The Fire and Emergency Act 2017 sets out which buildings are required to have evacuation schemes in place: You can read the relevant section of Act here(external link) but in it applies to the following buildings:

• Places where 100 or more people gather
• Places where 10 or more people work
• Accommodation for 6 or more people* 
• Anywhere containing large amounts of hazardous substances
• Early childhood education and care centres* 
• Nursing, medial, geriatric or disabled persons care providers*
• Prisons or detention centres (not including home detention or parole conditions)

* not required if this is happening in a residential household  

Building evacuation schemes must be submitted to Fire and Emergency New Zealand for approval prior to, but no more than 30 days prior to, occupation of a new building or of an existing building being used as a relevant building.

Fire Reports submitted with Building Consent applications should identify whether or not an application to FENZ for an Evacuation Scheme is required.