Emily Darling is one of New Zealand’s youngest volunteer firefighters and when the Roxburgh Fire Brigade siren goes off, her teachers and classmates from Roxburgh Area School tell the year 13 pupil to "just go".
"The teachers are really supportive which has been really good, and when I come back from the callout I have to catch up on my work, but I think we have managed it pretty well, really."
There is nothing else Emily would rather do than fight a fire or help in an emergency such as a motor vehicle accident.
"I really love doing it. I love helping people and being able to give back to my community."
Growing up on an orchard in Ettrick, Emily has watched her father rush off to attend callouts with the Millers Flat and Ettrick Volunteer Fire Brigade at any time of day or night.
"My dad has been in the fire brigade for more than 20 years.
"I would go with him to the station on training nights and watch him and think ‘I want to do what he is doing one day, to be able to help people and and be a part of the fire service’.
"I have always wanted to follow in his footsteps."
Emily joined the Millers Flat and Ettrick Volunteer Fire Brigade on her 16th birthday and carried out support and non-operational roles until completing her recruit’s training in May last year.
Too far away to attend callouts with the Millers Flat and Ettrick Volunteer Fire Brigade while at school, she joined the Roxburgh Fire Brigade.
"When I talked to the principal about it, he was really supportive and happy for me to do it as long as I was not in an NCEA exam."
Emily attended training nights at both volunteer fire stations and said she had done so many courses she has been asked to run some of the training sessions.
She has applied to study nursing next year in the hope it will help her secure a job as a fulltime firefighter, but her ultimate goal is to drive the fire truck.
"I would love to drive the truck.
"I want to show the others how it is done, and I want to be seen to be a girl who is the boss driving the fire truck."
