Fire Orders & Fire Safety Upgrades – Support for Strata Committees.
In NSW, councils can issue Fire Orders requiring building owners to fix Fire safety defects or upgrade existing Fire Safety Measures. These orders are legally enforceable and are issued when a building is found to be non-compliant or presents an unacceptable Fire risk.
For strata schemes, Fire Orders often arise from:
- Failed or incorrect Annual Fire Safety Statements (AFSS)
- Inadequate or misleading AS1851 inspections
- Long-standing defects that were never properly identified or repaired
Why early action matters.
When a Notice of Intention to Issue a Fire Order is received, there is a critical opportunity to review what council is proposing before the order is finalised.
Early involvement helps ensure:
- The order is technically correct
- The scope reflects the actual building requirements
- Strata is not forced into unnecessary or excessive upgrades
- AFSS and AS1851 exposure is properly addressed
Once an order is issued, options narrow and time pressure increases.
How SWOT Fire assists strata schemes
SWOT Fire supports strata committees from first notice through to final compliance, with a strong focus on real, defensible Fire safety outcomes — not just paperwork.
Our step-by-step process
1. Review the Notice or Fire Order
We assess the order against:
- Previous AFSS submissions
This identifies errors, overreach, or missing context early. - Existing Fire Safety Measures
- NCC and relevant Australian Standards
- AS1851 inspection history
2. Identify AS1851 & AFSS risk exposure
We determine whether:
- Measures have been incorrectly certified
- Inspections were inadequate or conflicted
- The AFSS accurately reflects the building condition. This is critical, as false or unsupported AFSS declarations expose owners and committee members to liability.
3. Liaise with council and consultants
Where required, we assist with:
- Supporting staged or risk-based compliance approaches
- Clarifying technical requirements
- Negotiating realistic timeframes
4. Deliver compliant Fire safety works
SWOT Fire completes necessary Fire safety rectification and upgrade works, ensuring:
- Systems can be confidently certified going forward
- Defects are properly resolved
- Works align with the Fire Order
5. Support compliant sign-off
We ensure the building is positioned for:
- Accurate AS1851 inspection outcomes
- Defensible AFSS sign-off
- Reduced risk of future Fire Orders
What strata committees need to know.
- Council deals with the owners corporation, not the Fire contractor
- AFSS declarations carry legal responsibility
- Some fire service providers perform an Inspection however lack the skills to perform Testing. AS1851 in an Inspect and Test routine requiring skilled and knowledgeable technicians
- Fire Orders usually expose years of hidden non-compliance
Getting it right once is always cheaper than repeating the cycle.
If your strata scheme has received a Notice of Intention, Fire Order, or is concerned about AFSS or AS1851 compliance, speak with SWOT Fire before the situation escalates.
