Students have good reason to cut class

It's hard work but Matt Wadsworth (left) and Dylan Api love the adrenaline of being firefighters. Photo / Richard Robinson

When the town fire siren sounds most students at Ruakaka's Bream Bay College continue with their lessons.

But two young firefighters must close their books, don safety gear and head to battle the blaze.

Students Matt Wadsworth, 18, and Dylan Api, 16, both serve with Ruakaka's Volunteer Fire Brigade, a commitment that requires them to respond to call-outs day and night, whether they are relaxing or in class.

Call-outs come two to three times a day during the dry season, though Matt said things were beginning to quieten down.

"Mostly it's just scrub fires. But we have had the odd house fire," he said.

While the boys stand out in their community, they are not the only young volunteer firefighters in New Zealand.

According to Fire Service National Headquarters there are 39 volunteer firefighters under 18 spread across the country.

Dylan, the youngest member of the Ruakaka brigade, said the callouts and "adrenaline kick" is the best part of the job.

He followed his father into the squad six months ago.

The more experienced Matt signed on last year and said the weekly training sessions were a great way to spend an evening.

But he said the service was hard work and as well as putting out fires the boys put in extra hours at the station on weekends.

The boys have to catch up on the school work they miss and still manage to hold down part-time jobs.

Matt wants to turn to fulltime fire-fighting when he finishes school this year.

Volunteers complete the same basic training as professional firefighters.

Matt has completed a course in Rotorua and Dylan hopes to do his by the end of the year.

Though Dylan does not share his friend's goal to become a professional firefighting, he said he wants to keep on volunteering.