Dunedin's and New Zealand's volunteer chief fire officers will be retained despite the present restructure and concern from members of the public the role might be disestablished.
The Otago Daily Times was contacted by a person close to the New Zealand Fire Service who believed there was a "real risk'' of volunteer fire chiefs being lost and the volunteer stations run from central Dunedin.
In a statement, a Fire Service spokesman said it was not possible to give definitive answers on many aspects of the restructure but the "local volunteer leadership function will be retained, along with deputies''.
"What is clear is the new organisation needs skills in both the urban and rural sectors to be a success,'' the spokesman said.
"Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) will simplify and streamline - not radically overhaul - by combining 40 organisations with firefighting responsibilities into a single unified organisation. The result will be that, no matter where a fire or emergency happens, whether in remote Fiordland or downtown Auckland, personnel from one organisation, Fenz, will respond.''
The Department of Internal Affairs said on Monday firefighters represented the "cornerstone'' of fire services and had a key role in supporting the resilience of communities.
It agreed that "the existing leadership functions to manage volunteers be continued,
including deputies''.
Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne announced on April 29 that funding of $303million would be put into combining the New Zealand Fire Service, the National Rural Fire Authority and the fire functions of more than 40 rural fire authorities to become Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
Legislation would be introduced within the next three months and the merger would take effect from July 1, 2017.
