The Akaroa Volunteer Fire Brigade has taken its recruitment drive to the classroom.
Photo: RNZ / Dan Dalgety
Teenagers at Akaroa Area School are being trained to put out fires, and some are going on to become full-time firefighters.
Akaroa Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Mark Thomson said they had 14 members of the brigade in 2014, so he had to act quickly and get some more people on board.
"We were struggling to man the fire appliance during the day. My oldest son had just left school and some of his mates were still at the school and they wanted to join, so I thought this is a good opportunity to let them do it. Ever since then, it's worked out pretty damn good."
Now, there are 28 members on the crew.
One of those is 18-year-old Blake Thomson, who said he couldn't turn down the opportunity to become a volunteer firefighter.
"I just love the whole thing, to be honest. I love the skills that we do, and the skills that we get to learn and the comradeship between everyone. I just get a massive buzz as soon as the alarm goes off and that ends as soon I hop out of the [fire engine]."
Students have to be 16 year old to join and also have the option of earning NCEA credits if they decide to pursue a career as a firefighter or paramedic.
Photo: RNZ / Dan Dalgety
Akaroa Area School principal Ray Bygate said the initiative mainly centres around work experience, but there are opportunities for students if they are serious about taking up a career in the field.
"If a student wants to pursue a career in the fire service or paramedics, then that's the next level where they can start looking at specific standards that are provided off-site."
Mr Bygate said students who have gone on to become volunteer firefighters were inspiring others at the school - something that sits well with Blake Thomson.
"As soon as the alarm goes off you get hundreds of kids cheering... you get an audience, so that's pretty cool. It's also fun getting to encourage others and talk to other people about how cool it is and shows them an insight that they wouldn't usually get."
The Akaroa Volunteer Fire Brigade attended 100 callouts in the last 12 months, ranging from medical callouts to vegetation fires, which Mark Thomson said is the perfect preparation for those wanting to become full-time firefighters.
He said they've got five guys that started as school kids and are now full-time firefighters, while eight are involved in volunteer fire brigades throughout the Canterbury region.
Akaroa may be an iconic tourism destination, but it's quickly becoming a firefighting town.
