Southland - Fire and Emergency

18/06/2026

❤️ Thank you, Southland volunteers! ❤️

It’s National Volunteer Week, and we’re celebrating the amazing people who step up for our communities.

From across Aotearoa to right here in Southland, our volunteers are there 24/7, 365 days a year.

They give their time to protect and support others, backed by their whānau, friends and employers who make it all possible.

💛 To every volunteer — thank you for what you do, every day.

18/06/2026

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

13/06/2026

❤️ Ngā mihi nui – thank you, volunteers! ❤️

Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu – National Volunteer Week, and here in Southland we’re incredibly proud of the people who step up for our communities every single day.

Southland has 36 volunteer brigades – and right here in Southland, we’re home to the southernmost brigade in the country in Oban (Rakiura/Stewart Island). How’s that for dedication at the edge of the map! 🌏🔥

Volunteers show up 24/7, 365 days a year – responding to emergencies, training, and supporting their communities when it matters most. More than 11,800 people nationwide give their time as firefighters, medical first responders, operational support, and behind-the-scenes brigade support.

But it’s not just them, it’s also their whānau, friends and employers who make it possible. Every callout, training night, and community event means time away from home and mahi, and that support crew is just as important.

Our volunteers come from all walks of life, but they share one thing in common:
👉 a commitment to serving their communities, no matter the hour.

To all our Southland volunteers — from the mainland to Oban — thank you for everything you do. You make our communities safer, stronger, and more connected.

👏 If you know a volunteer, give them a shoutout below!

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.