This one hits different. Because it is not theory, it is lived experience.

Duncan sits down with firefighters Steve Devine and Dave Phillips to hear directly from the frontline. What they describe is a system going backwards. Ageing trucks breaking down on the way to fires. Stations closed for years. Equipment that is outdated. And a workforce stretched thin while still fighting for fair pay and proper support.

But it goes deeper than that. The conversation turns to cancer risk, mental health, and the reality of what firefighters carry home after every shift. From traumatic callouts to the lack of formal support, this is the side of the job most people never see.

There is frustration, there is anger, and there is a clear message. This is not just about firefighters. This is about public safety, and right now, they say New Zealand is more exposed than people realise.

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