No, online maintenance can only be completed when using your RealMe logon details. The scheme can be transferred to another person’s RealMe logon if needed – please contact the Regulatory Compliance Group on 0800 734 2667 or rcg@fireandemergency.nz  to discuss. Alternatively, if you are going to be away for a short time, someone else could complete manual notifications during this period.

If you have engaged an evacuation consultant to act on your behalf, they will be able to complete your maintenance activities.

If you can’t complete your scheme maintenance online, please contact the Regulatory Compliance Group on 0800 734 2667 or rcg@fireandemergency.nz to discuss this.

This usually means the maintenance was not entered against our records for your building. Please contact the Regulatory Compliance Group on 0800 734 2667 or rcg@fireandemergency.nz  to discuss this.

Yes. In these circumstances, when completing the trial evacuation report, please change the date to correctly reflect the actual date that the trial was completed.

Your approved scheme includes a requirement to complete either trial evacuations or an evacuation training programme at the frequency specified in your approved scheme (the period must not be greater than six months). To keep your scheme current and maintained you must notify Fire and Emergency within 10 working days each time this requirement has been completed.

Note: Even if you have an evacuation training programme in place, Fire and Emergency may require you to undertake a trial evacuation.

For full details please refer to our Maintain your approved evacuation scheme guide. [PDF, 1.3 MB]

If your approved evacuation scheme requires regular trial evacuations, you must provide a report to Fire and Emergency within 10 working days of the trial evacuation being carried out, with the information specified in the Regulations.

You can do this online.

If you are unable to complete your trial evacuation report online a paper form is available on the website to be printed, completed and either emailed or mailed to Fire and Emergency. 

For full details please refer to our Maintain your approved evacuation scheme guide. [PDF, 1.3 MB]

Fire and Emergency recommend that the person managing the trial evacuation calls 111 as part of the trial evacuation. It is recommended that you phone your local Fire Communications Centre 10–15 minutes prior to your trial and immediately following your trial. This will help to avoid any confusion and/or unnecessary fire engine callouts, e.g. if neighbours hear your alarm and call 111 themselves.

Yes, evacuations conducted in response to an actual emergency or alarm of fire can be treated as trial evacuations, if Fire and Emergency receives a completed evacuation report within 10 working days of the evacuation, including the details outlined in the Regulations.

If your approved evacuation scheme is maintained by a training programme, you must provide a training programme report to Fire and Emergency within 30 days of the scheme’s approval, and then at intervals as specified in your approved scheme.

If your approved scheme was applied for online, you can complete the notifications and reporting through our website. Otherwise a printable form [DOCX, 108 KB] is available. For full details please refer to our Maintain your approved evacuation scheme guide [PDF, 1.3 MB].

If you wish to make a variation to an approved scheme, you are required to complete a Notification of building changes [DOCX, 105 KB] and return it to Fire and Emergency. The form will be assessed, and you will be advised if a variation to your current scheme is required or whether your scheme must be revoked, and a new scheme applied for.

Please note that you must notify Fire and Emergency in writing if one or more of the following events occur:

• The building’s fire detection and suppression system is non-operational for a period of time.
  Note: For certified systems, you must complete the Fire Protection System Shutdown form provided to you by your fire protection system agent.
• The means of escape from fire for the building is to be altered under section 107(external link) of the Building Act 2004.
• Building work is to be carried out on the building under section 112(external link) or 133(external link) of the Building Act 2004, affecting the building’s means of escape from fire.
• The building’s life is to be extended under section 116(external link) of the Building Act 2004.
• The occupancy of the building is changing to the extent that the building’s means of escape from fire will be materially affected.
• There are to be changes to the place or places of safety specified in the evacuation scheme.
• There is to be a change in purpose or activities within the building.
• The building no longer requires an evacuation scheme, e.g. the building is to be demolished or will no longer be used for a purpose under section 75(1)(external link) of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017.

Yes, if the nominated contact person for the building (whether that is the owner or another person) will be absent from New Zealand for longer than 21 consecutive days, you must notify Fire and Emergency and nominate an alternative contact person for the building during the absence. 

Send an email to rcg@fireandemergency.nz with the dates affected, the contact details of an alternative contact person based in New Zealand, and the details of the evacuation scheme(s) affected.