Volunteers
In the 19th century, most members of volunteer fire brigades were skilled tradesmen and small businessmen who wanted to make contacts and get ahead. They had enough money to take time off work for firefighting, pay the brigade membership subscription, buy a uniform, and pay fines if they did not attend a fire.
In the early 21st century volunteers came from all walks of life, but social benefits and a desire to support the local community were still incentives. In 2023 there were 8,507 New Zealanders serving in volunteer fire brigades.
Career firefighters
Early career firefighters often had a seafaring background. Superintendent Robertson of the Dunedin brigade became New Zealand’s first paid firefighter in 1861, and from 1868 there were others at a permanently manned station in Christchurch. Numbers increased after the Second World War. There were 1,807 career firefighters in 2023.
Women
Women often work in administrative jobs at fire stations, and some were firefighters in volunteer brigades by the 1960s, but they had a battle to be accepted as career firefighters. When Aucklander Anne Barry applied to become a firefighter in 1979, she was turned down on the grounds of her sex. Barry took the case to the Human Rights Commission, which ruled in her favour in 1981. There were 53 women career firefighters and 880 volunteers in 2008, and 108 and 1,327 respectively in 2023.
Working life
In the 1930s, larger fire stations built accommodation for firefighters and their wives. Married men were paid more than single men, and were promoted to officer ranks. In the 21st century, firefighters must pass exams to progress through the ranks from qualified firefighter to chief fire officer.
The working day was once highly regimented: firemen could not leave the station without permission, and spent most of their time doing menial cleaning and maintenance tasks. Discipline is still important in firefighting, but there is now more emphasis on teamwork, and the range of tasks is wider and more specialised. A typical day may include visits to local businesses to discuss safety issues, study, equipment checks and fire callouts.
Volunteer firefighters in small towns may attend only a few fires each year. However, in cities, career firefighters have traditionally worked long hours. In the 2020s they usually work four days on, four days off, in two 10-hour day shifts followed by two 14-hour night shifts.
Unions
Regional firefighters’ unions were formed just before the First World War to achieve better pay and working conditions. In 1988 they merged to form the New Zealand Professional Firefighters’ Union.
In 1974 professional firefighters sought pay parity with police officers. The Christchurch brigade went on strike in 1975, forcing the government to bring in the armed forces to provide fire protection. In the 1990s the Professional Firefighters’ Union took legal action to challenge plans to reduce firefighter numbers and alter working conditions. The long-running dispute was not resolved until 2001. The union continues to fight for safer working conditions and better equipment for fire fighters.
Training
The first Fire Service training school was opened at Island Bay, Wellington, in 1958. Another was opened in Auckland in 1967. They were superseded in 2006, when the National Training Centre was opened at Rotorua.
Hot stuff
The New Zealand firefighters calendar, featuring bare-chested firemen posing with firefighting equipment, has a cult following. It began in 1990 as a way of raising money for New Zealand participation in the annual World Firefighter Games. A percentage of funds goes towards the Child Cancer Foundation. In 2009 a calendar of female firefighters was produced to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Foundation.
Becoming a firefighter
Volunteer firefighters must be physically fit, and pass a medical test and security clearance before being accepted. They then take a seven-day course covering use of breathing apparatus, first aid, and realistic fire training. This is followed by weekly brigade training nights.
The requirements for career firefighters are tougher. Applicants must first pass an exam that tests literacy, maths and problem-solving abilities, and a physical test of fitness, strength, agility and endurance. They must then complete a four-hour practical assessment course to gauge their aptitude for firefighting tasks. Following this there is a formal interview, a medical check, and reference and security checks. Only those candidates who pass each stage are accepted for training. Recruits attend a 12-week course covering all aspects of firefighting and also education and prevention work.
