Fire Service announces regional streamlining

Photo / Hawkes Bay Today

The Fire Service says it plans to streamline its regional management structure, reducing the number of fire service regions and their managers.

The regions and managers will be reduced from eight to five, dividing the country into the upper, central and lower North Island and the upper and lower South Island.

The proposed change would have no effect on the public or its response to emergencies, chief executive and national commander Mike Hall said.

Two years ago, the Fire Service introduced a new local administrative structure which divided the country into 25 fire service areas, he said.

Mr Hall said the next change would see the size of each fire service region would become more standard, as would their budgets, staffing and workload.

"We expect to keep a similar number of overall positions within the regions although there may be a change of focus or location for a few people."

The proposed model has been released to personnel and interested parties for consultation with feedback due by early February.

- NZPA