Agency information guide
This guide tells you in general terms:
- What the structure and functions of Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) are.
- What kind of government information we hold and what we will make available to the public.
- How that information will be made available, and whether there is a charge.
Our functions
Our core functions are emergency and disaster prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.
Our primary tasks are as follows:
- Fire prevention and community preparedness
- Operational preparedness
- Response and recovery for the following types of emergencies:
- Fire
- Rescue
- Bushfire
- Hazardous materials incidents
- Community medical assistance
- Urban search and rescue
- Counter-terrorism
Our structure
Our organisation chart is available on our website here. For more detail about the functions and achievements of the Fire and Rescue NSW Directorates see the FRNSW Annual Report.
For information about individual fire stations use the Find a Fire station link on the FRNSW website or contact 9265 2999.
What kind of government information we have?
Information is contained in the following records held by FRNSW:
- At each emergency incident attended by FRNSW, the Station Commander is required to complete an eAIRS (Australian Incident Reporting System) report
- Fire Investigation reports (only available for a small number of incidents)
- Fire safety information
- Educational resources
- Policy, strategy, budget, project and planning documents
- Incident statistics
- Contracts
What kind of government information is made available to the public, and how?
Open access information
FRNSW makes available, free of charge on its website, the following open access information:
- Policy documents that may impact on members of the public
- This Agency Information Guide
- The FRNSW Annual Report
- FRNSW Disclosure log
- Details of FRNSW contracts likely to have a value of $150,000 or more [external]
- Various Fire safety and Education videos [external]
- Community fire safety information
- Educational Resources
- Building Fire safety information
- Information about how to become a firefighter
- Media releases and campaign resources
- Information about the FRNSW PFAS Environmental Investigation
Information available on informal request
Many documents published by FRNSW are available through an informal request for information, without the need to make a formal access application. These include:
- Redacted copies of incident reports completed by FRNSW firefighters when attending fires or other incidents. See our website to download the application form and learn more about requesting incident information.
- Copies of correspondence, where the person requesting the correspondence was the person who sent the document
- Personnel records of current or former firefighters, released to the person themselves or their agreed representative.
- Documents that have already been made public in some other way
FRNSW reserves the right to impose conditions in relation to the use or disclosure of information that is released in response to an informal request.
Some information may only be available on the payment of a fee, but we will let you know if that is the case.
Information available through a formal access application
Some documents held by FRNSW are made available only through lodging a formal GIPA access application, which must be accompanied by a $30 fee;
- Full copies of incident reports completed by FRNSW firefighters
- Copies of Fire Investigation reports (where available)
- Statistical information or other data held by FRNSW that is not already on the FRNSW website and requires additional resources to co-ordinate and produce
Information not made available
FRNSW does not release documents that are or are likely to be part of a police, court or coronial investigation, without the police’s or court’s consent. FRNSW does not release personal information about individuals without their consent.