What a fire warden usually does before, during and after an alarm, what New Zealand law actually says, and how evacuation schemes and trial evacuations work.
Someone at work hands you a cap or a hi-vis vest and says you are the fire warden now. This course explains what wardens usually do before, during and after an alarm, how evacuation schemes work in New Zealand, and what the law does and does not say about wardens.
It has no hands-on practice, and it does not replace your building's scheme or drills. Those come first, along with the people who run them.
You can study and sit the assessment free, with no account. Fire and Emergency New Zealand also publishes free guidance on evacuation schemes, linked on this page, and you may prefer it. Pay only if you pass and want our certificate.
Anyone can check a certificate on our verification page using its ID or QR code. More about the certificate.
No. The Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017 and the 2018 evacuation regulations do not mention wardens, and Fire and Emergency New Zealand says they are not a requirement. Many buildings still use them, and your building's scheme may rely on them, so ask what yours says.
No. Passing shows you understood this awareness material. Your workplace decides who holds the role, and in many buildings it must also train staff on that building's own procedure. A general online course cannot do that.
No. That is a physical skill and needs hands-on practice. This course only covers what Fire and Emergency New Zealand advises about when an extinguisher might be used and when to leave. Ask your employer about practical training.
It depends on your building. Where an approved scheme uses trial evacuations, the gap can be no more than six months. Where a scheme uses a training programme, people are trained and assessed at least that often, and trials happen if and when Fire and Emergency New Zealand requires them. Separately, WorkSafe says workplace emergency plans should be tested at least once a year, and business.govt.nz suggests practice drills at least twice a year.
Ask your employer. The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 says a business must not charge a worker for anything done or provided for health and safety. If your employer requires workplace health and safety training, ask whether they provide or fund it before purchasing this optional certificate. Study and assessment here are free, and our certificate is optional at NZ$24.90. This awareness course does not replace workplace-specific training or induction.
Ask them first. Each employer decides what training it accepts, and your building may have its own requirements. You can study and sit the assessment free before deciding whether to buy anything.
The lessons are original summaries of these sources. For your own situation, the source is what counts.
Version 1.1.1, last checked 2026-11-03. Approved for publication by our editor on 2026-11-09. Not reviewed by an external professional. How we check our content.
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Free to study.
Certificate NZ$24.90 if you pass.