16 February 2026
C209043
D. Greenhalgh
[FYI request #33542 email]
Tēnā koe,
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request of 18 January 2026 to the
Department of Corrections – Ara Poutama Aotearoa, requesting the following information:
I would like to request the following information in relation to industrial fire brigades
operated at prisons/by the Department of Corrections (or previous Justice
Department Prison Service):
- Confirmation as to whether, at any point, industrial fire brigades or fire appliances
were maintained at prisons
- A list of prisons maintaining IFBs/appliances and their dates of operation
- Any policy from Corrections or the former Prison Service regarding the operation of
IFBs/appliances
I understand that these may be historical documents, so if records are no longer held,
please direct me to an authority that holds this information if one exists.
Given the historical nature of this information, with some of the resources you have cited
dating as far back as 1998, it is requiring extensive levels of consultation across multiple
business units to determine what information is within scope of your request. Corrections
therefore needs to extend the timeframe of our response to your request by 10 working
days, pursuant to section 15A(1)(b) of the OIA, as consultations necessary to make a
decision on the request are such that a proper response to the request cannot reasonably
be made within the original time limit. Therefore, you can expect to receive a response to
your request by 2 March 2026. If you no longer require this information, please let us know
as soon as possible.
NATIONAL OFFICE, WELLINGTON
Mayfair House, 44 – 52 The Terrace, Wellington, 6011, Private Box 1206, Wellington 6140,
Phone +64 4 460 3000
www.corrections.govt.nz
2
I hope this information is helpful. Please be advised that should you have any concerns
regarding this response you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate our
decision to extend the timeframe. Contact details are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box
10152, Wellington 6143.
Ngā mihi
Jeremy Lythgoe
Manager Government Services, Official Correspondence
People and Capability
