Skip to main content
Your fire evacuation scheme is the document approved by Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) that sets out how your centre will evacuate in the event of a fire. Every NZ early childhood centre must have a current, approved scheme.

​
Scheme status

Your scheme will show one of five statuses: A centre with no scheme or an expired scheme is non-compliant. This is highlighted on the module dashboard and your main dashboard until it’s resolved.

​
What the scheme record captures

  • FENZ reference number — the reference assigned by FENZ
  • Date approved
  • Normal occupants — the number of occupants the scheme is designed for under normal conditions
  • Maximum occupants
  • Submission details — whether the scheme was submitted by your centre or through an external agency, who submitted it, when, and how
  • Documents — upload up to five documents: the scheme document, site map, fire action notice, training plan, and any supporting files

​
FENZ correspondence

Any communication with FENZ about your scheme is recorded in the correspondence log. Each entry captures:
  • Interaction date
  • Interaction type — e.g. email received, phone call, site visit (types are managed by the CCNZ team)
  • Comments — what was discussed or decided
  • Attachments — upload any letters, emails, or documents from FENZ
  • Action items — any follow-up tasks that came out of the interaction, each with an assignee and due date
The correspondence log gives you a complete audit trail of every exchange with FENZ, which is useful at ERO review time.

​
When your scheme expires

When you need to renew your scheme, create a new scheme record. The previous scheme is automatically archived — it stays on record but is no longer shown as your active scheme. Archived versions are accessible from the scheme page if you need them for reference.

​
Scheme without approval yet

If you’re in the process of getting your scheme approved, set the status to In Progress and record the submission details. Update the status to Approved — Current once FENZ confirms approval and you have a reference number.