The NZ Professional Firefighters’ Union has raised concerns about the number of 111 fire dispatchers working overnight, as they hold another one-hour strike.
Paid firefighters are walking off the job from noon until 1pm today, just as they have several times in recent weeks.
Volunteer firefighters are still on call during that time but response times are generally longer.
In a Facebook post last night, the union said that Fire and Emergency New Zealand “has failed to employ sufficient numbers of 111 emergency call centre dispatchers to ensure minimum staffing is maintained”.
An earlier post said “111 communication centre staffing has been slashed by half tonight. The emergency centres are six dispatchers short across the country”.
“Our members are deeply concerned about how they will manage life-changing emergencies and the crushing weight of inbound calls over the next 12 hours.”
Fire and Emergency spokeswoman Megan Stiffler said there were three shift managers and seven call takers and dispatchers on duty in their three 111 Fire Communication Centres last night.
She acknowledged that was a lower staffing level than expected.
“This was lower than normal primarily due to sickness. Five people were on sick leave.”
She went on to explain how the three 111 communications centres work as one virtual national centre.
“Our 111 Fire Communication Centre staff have highly specialised skills and when we need to cover for sick leave, during particularly busy times, or industrial action, call takers in each centre can answer 111 calls from around the country.”
Stiffler said 79 calls were made to the 111 centre between 6pm and 6am.
“No calls were missed or abandoned. This confirms the contingency of a virtual centre is effective.”
She also addressed claims the union has made about Fire and Emergency equipment being unavailable.
“The Auckland City and Parnell aerial trucks are being serviced so the Thorndon aerial truck has been relocated to cover as per long standing Fire and Emergency New Zealand policy.
“Auckland also has three other aerial trucks, and Wellington still has aerial trucks at Newtown and Avalon and the Seaview elevating monitor to call upon if an aerial truck is required.
“It is disappointing that union officials continue to scaremonger about fire and emergency equipment. Yes, equipment does need to be serviced from time to time – that’s the nature of these machines, but overall, the fleet is well maintained, safe, certified and legally compliant. There is a strict schedule for regular maintenance and repairs, and we’re currently spending over $20 million per year on replacement trucks.
“Striking isn’t going to get these new trucks built any faster,” Stiffler said.
In January during a one-hour firefighters’ strike, a food store in Auckland’s Pakūranga was gutted by fire, with one person sent to hospital.
During last Friday’s strike, a fire broke out at Auckland’s Northcote College, destroying a 100-year-old building amid slower than normal firefighter response times.
Fire and Emergency has repeatedly accused the union of “gambling with the public’s safety” and urged it to call off future strikes, while the union called the Northcote blaze “yet another failure for Fire and Emergency New Zealand”.
Fire and Emergency’s website says it will continue to take 111 calls and respond to fires in affected areas during today’s strike, but “in cities and larger towns we will take longer than usual to respond to some emergencies”.
“Our more than 11,000 volunteers are available to respond from their almost 600 stations across the country and in their own trucks to help as they regularly do.”
Specific areas affected by strikes are mapped out on Fire and Emergency’s website.
People and businesses in those areas are urged to reduce their fire risk, including by:
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