When did you last need help?

Scott | Ōtautahi

Scott returned to New Zealand to join the fire service, where the bond he has with his colleagues gives him strength and support.

“We spend 48 hours a week together. We sleep at the station together. I spend more time there, probably than I do with my family. So you do create quite a special bond with everyone.

As a boy, I was brought up in quite a, not a tough family, but you never showed emotion or anything like that. So I don’t even remember my dad asking for help. And I just don’t think I’ve ever needed or asked for help. I’ve always dealt with everything myself, you know?

It’s what we do as a firefighter, we go out of our way to help, to put your life on the line to save others. But I’m quite willing to do that. I’d much rather do that than talk about me. I’d much rather help people than do that sort of stuff.

I actually came back from overseas to join the fire department. I just thought it would be something to get back into that group environment. I loved the army, I loved all the guys and, you know, we had thirty guys in our platoon, and we always got to get out together. We’d live together. We would do everything. I want to do that again. You’re never by yourself, which I find really hard. I don’t like being by myself. I’d much rather be around mates or other people and everything like that.

I just get, not so much bored, I just like being around people. So that’s why I think why the teams and the jobs that I do and everything like that, support that.

So you’re sort of, not looking for help, but the help’s there, as you said, it’s all there. You got your mate to talk to and that comfort of knowing that someone’s behind you to help you. If you do get in trouble, it’s like in a fire and you get in trouble. You’ve got your mates always there to help you. So it’s the same sort of scenario, I suppose.”

Our question for kaikōrero this month was “when did you last need help?” We learned about the diverse demands on the lives of New Zealanders and the incredible support networks they rely on.