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Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017

Miscellaneous and enforcement provisions - Offences - Other offences

157: Offence to knowingly give false alarm of fire

You could also call this:

"It's against the law to falsely tell firefighters there's a fire"

Illustration for Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017

You commit an offence if you knowingly give a false alarm of fire to firefighters or a brigade. If you do this, you can get in trouble with the law. You might have to pay a fine or go to prison, depending on who you are and what you did. You can get a prison sentence of up to 6 months or a fine of up to $75,000, or both, if you are an individual. If you are not an individual, you can get a fine of up to $150,000. This law is similar to a law from the Fire Service Act 1975.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6888419.

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Crime and justice > Police and safetyEmergency management > Emergency services
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Part 4Miscellaneous and enforcement provisions
Offences: Other offences

157Offence to knowingly give false alarm of fire

  1. A person commits an offence if the person knowingly gives or causes to be given to any personnel or brigade any false alarm of fire.

  2. A person who commits an offence under this section is liable on conviction,—

  3. in the case of an individual, to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or to a fine not exceeding $75,000, or both; or
    1. in any other case, to a fine not exceeding $150,000.

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