Fire Protection Resources for your faith community
Do you know what to do if you had a fire in your church?
Some Advice on Fire Safety
Keeping our church buildings safe from fire is an important part of caring for our faith communities. The Health and Safety section of our Diocesan website includes resources and templates to help you with this — including a Fire Safety Scheme document. This will guide you through assessing your spaces and making them safer.
The New Zealand Fire Service also offers excellent advice, including recommendations for fire extinguisher and smoke alarm placement. While churches are not classed as “commercial premises,” they are public facilities — so you must have a plan in place, and a way to check regularly that everything is up to standard. Vestries and Church Committees should review fire safety as part of their Health and Safety agenda, and take steps to address any issues.
Fire Extinguisher Training
Fire extinguishers are only useful if people know how to use them. Training can be arranged through:
Fire Security Services https://www.firesecurity.co.nz/training and
Chubb Fire and Security: https://chubbfs.com/nz-en/fire/emergency-plans-and-training/fire-safety-training/fire-extinguisher-training/
You can also find an example of a fire training session in the Parish Resources for Sharing section of our Health and Safety page.
For shorter, free training options, consider showing a video at a Vestry or Committee meeting — this can count as a training session, and we have a poster attached below you can put by extinguishers as a reminder:
Auckland University: See the following website: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/health-safety-wellbeing/health-safety-topics/fire-safety/fighting-a-fire.html
Tip: If your facility uses naked flames but doesn’t have a fire extinguisher, consider buying a fire blanket (about $40 at major hardware stores).
Frequently asked questions
(Please contact the Registrar if you have a question you would like to be answered and we will update this section).
Do we need fire extinguishers?
While not legally required, they are strongly recommended — especially in churches where candles, thuribles, or other open flames are used. If you install them, ensure they can be regularly serviced and that key people are trained in their use. You may also wish to keep fire blankets nearby, and review where and how you perform higher-risk activities.
What about smoke alarms?
Smoke alarms are generally not mandatory unless specified by local authority requirements. They are most valuable in situations where people might be sleeping, but they can still provide early warning during services or events. Place them outside kitchens or bathrooms to avoid false alarms, and test them regularly (a good reminder is when clocks change for winter).
Extra Resources
Watch our video on preventing arson in church premises — available on our Health and Safety page.
Consider running a fire evacuation drill once a year, so your congregation knows what to do.
Add fire safety checks to your annual property audit.
Final Thought: Fire safety is not just about ticking a box — it’s about protecting our people, our heritage, and our mission. Let’s make sure we are ready.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) was used to help edit this article.
