Radio waves to rescue calls

Andy George is a volunteer firefighter in Lincoln - a calling he found when he least expected it.

Before moving to Lincoln in 2021, Andy lived in the Coromandel Peninsula where he hosted the More FM radio breakfast show. Through radio, a door opened for Andy to become a firefighterwhen a Station Officer from the Thames fire station came on air.

“The Station Officer was looking for more people to join the crew, so I gave it a shot and decided to join that night,” Andy says. “The rest is history.”

Andy is now in his tenth year as a firefighter. He also works as a Fire & Emergency Dispatcher in Christchurch, sending out the crew in response to emergency calls. Andy describes that typicallythe type of emergency he deals with are motor vehicle accidents rather than fires. Sometimes the fire crew responds to situations involving animals.

“We do actually rescue cats in trees and ducklings trapped in storm drains,” he says.  

The satisfaction does not only come from putting out a blaze – keeping the community safe through awareness is just as important, particularly children.

“We love having preschools and primary schools visit our fire station. We read them an interactive story about having an escape plan at home, making it easy for them to understand andwalk away with extra knowledge about what to do in an emergency. They love seeing the fire truck and having a turn with the hose. We also run fundraisers in the community and checkpeople’s smoke alarms.”

Andy’s professional career keeps him busy on top of firefighting. He records radio shows, podcasts and videos from his home studio, and runs his own voiceover business for companies locally and overseas.

When he is not responding to emergencies or recording, Andy prioritises time with his family.

“The challenging thing about being a firefighter is not just the mental and emotional toll or the physical exhaustion. It can also be quite demanding on our personal lives,” Andy says. “We miss birthdays, Christmas, and family events. There are times when I have just sat down to eat dinner with my family and then I need to be out the door again. But we do it because we love it and our families support us.”

If you want to know more information about fire safety for your home, school or business - or if you want to know how to volunteer - visit www.lincolnfire.org.nz.

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