How New Zealand became NFPA’s newest hub for fire safety innovation

NFPA and FPANZ sign MoU to strengthen fire safety collaboration

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Fire Protection Association New Zealand (FPANZ) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance fire and life safety across New Zealand.

According to the organisations, the agreement focuses on knowledge sharing, training and the exchange of resources between the two associations.

The MoU was signed during the FireNZ 2025 Conference in Auckland, which also marked FPANZ’s 50th anniversary.

Mike Brunzell, Vice President of Global Business Development at NFPA, attended as a keynote speaker and panelist.

This marks the first formal NFPA participation in the annual FireNZ conference.

Strengthening a growing partnership

Scott Lawson, Chief Executive Officer at FPANZ, said: “This agreement reflects a spirit of mutual respect and collaboration that has grown between our organisations in recent years.

“It formalises our ability to work more closely together to the benefit of our members and the communities they serve.

“We are deeply appreciative of NFPA’s support and look forward to a future of shared progress.”

The NFPA said the agreement continues its efforts to expand its global reach and strengthen fire safety initiatives throughout the Oceania region.

Regional engagement and future initiatives

Brunzell said: “In addition to this agreement with the Fire Protection Association of New Zealand, during our trip NFPA was pleased to foster our connections with colleagues from Fire Protection Association Australia, and the National Fire Authority of Fiji.

“These collaborations strengthen knowledge exchanges and reflect our commitment to working alongside national associations and the leaders they represent to build safer, more resilient communities.”

The organisations noted that the MoU builds on several years of cooperation between NFPA and FPANZ.

It also opens the door to new initiatives in training, research and advocacy aligned with the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem, a framework that supports community safety through shared responsibility and clear standards.

Relevance for fire and safety professionals

The agreement between NFPA and FPANZ provides a new framework for collaboration that could influence standards development, professional training and fire-safety knowledge transfer within New Zealand.

For building safety professionals, fire engineers and training providers, the partnership creates potential access to NFPA technical resources and guidance, supporting local adaptation of international best practices.

For emergency services leaders and policy bodies, it offers a coordinated platform for sharing lessons learned and developing unified approaches to fire prevention, response and risk reduction across the wider Oceania region