Pressure mounts on FENZ as National MP questions delayed fire truck rollout

Video: National MP Tim Costley raising concerns over inconsistent information from Fire and Emergency New Zealand following prolonged questions about delayed fire appliances. (File. / Supplied)

Concerns over delayed fire appliances and a lack of clear answers inside Fire and Emergency New Zealand have been laid bare in a phone call between National MP Tim Costley and thisquality.

Costley confirmed that trucks ordered in 2019 and delivered between 2020 and 2023 are still not fully operational, describing the timeline as unacceptable.

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“It’s a very long time. After that sort of delay, you’d expect them to be rolled out by now,” he said.

In the call, Costley pointed to inconsistent information coming from officials at the top, saying even basic figures around the number of affected vehicles have shifted.

“At one point it was 17, now they say 16. That’s part of the frustration. You don’t come away with answers, you come away with more questions.”

Image: A Fire and Emergency appliance sits broken down in the middle of the Greenlane and Manukau Road intersection in Auckland after breaking down, leaving the crew unable to respond to incidents. (Courtesy of New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union)

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Frontline crews continue to deal with ageing equipment and uncertainty around when replacements will be rolled out across the country. Costley said questions have been put to officials about fleet reliability and breakdowns, but detailed data has not been provided.

He warned the current pace of fleet replacement risks creating a long-term operational gap.

“We’ve asked about reliability and availability, but the answers aren’t specific enough. We’re working to crystallise that information.”

“If vehicles need replacing every 20 years and it’s taking six years to replace a small number, we’ll never catch up. We’ll only end up with more breakdowns and more problems.”

Image: New MAN Angloco Type 3 fire appliance equipped with advanced electronic pressure control and multi-point pump operation, pictured during Fire and Emergency New Zealand training exercises. (Supplied / Angelus Parker)

Some newer appliances are beginning to enter training use, but a full rollout has yet to occur.

Fire and Emergency operates under an insurance-funded model rather than direct government control, limiting oversight through standard budget processes. Despite that, Costley signalled ongoing pressure.

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Image: Firefighters hold protest signs reading “Fire Crisis” and “Show Your Support, Toot” during strike action at East Coast Bays on March 13 amid the ongoing pay dispute. (Courtesy of New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union)

He emphasised the scale of the workforce relying on the equipment, including thousands of volunteers and career firefighters.

“When the siren goes off in a community, people expect a response. It’s the backbone of the country.. I want to see the trucks we’ve already got get to the frontline, in the right place at the right time, so crews have the tools for the job.”

The issue is expected to draw increasing attention as questions mount over emergency readiness and leadership accountability.

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