“It’s a community that welcomed us, shaped us, and gave us every reason to want to give back. Becoming firefighters here is our way of doing just that,” Nathaniel said.
The twins lost their oldest brother Trinity after he died in a car crash aged 18.
“Losing him was devastating – he was our big brother, our role model, and a huge part of who we are. His passing shook our family to the core, but it also strengthened our drive to do something meaningful with our lives.”
Nathaniel said becoming firefighters was not just about serving the community but also carrying a bit of their brother’s memory with them.
“Trinity believed in standing up for others and doing what’s right, even when it’s hard. That’s something we hold close every time we put on the uniform.”
The twins are now juggling schooling and fire call-outs after completing the Fire and Emergency NZ recruit course, something that Nathaniel said took some balancing.
“For myself, it’s a matter of making the best of both work. If I attend a callout, then I better pick up the slack in my fast-paced classes – after apologising for my absence. For Ethan, it comes naturally.”
One of the milestones the Vemoa twins achieved was earning their Breathing Apparatus (BA) qualification, which means they are now trained and ready to enter burning buildings to carry out fire attacks or search and rescue operations.
They will be able to respond to a wide range of emergencies that Fire and Emergency NZ deals with, including house fires, car crashes, medical events and storm response.
“It’s a big responsibility, but we feel equipped now and proud to step up when our community needs us.
“The Fire and Emergency NZ recruit course was very, very humbling. It pushed us to our mental and physical limits … It tested every bit of your strength, endurance and mental focus," Nathaniel said.
During their training they were never paired together, something Nathaniel said was a good call as they can be quite competitive.
“I tended to thrive on the theory side; reading situations, knowing what to do and when. Ethan, and I’ll deny ever saying this, was a beast when it came to the physical stuff. He could push through pain and pressure like no one else.”
Ethan said the course was gruelling but had left him feeling a sense of accomplishment.
“I am proud to be a firefighter.
“I love helping people and the community, and when I heard one of my friends was a firefighter I knew that was exactly what I needed to do,” he said.
Ethan and Nathaniel were grateful to be part of the Kaitāia team and said they were the “nicest people you will meet” and whose drive was unmatched.
Kaitāia Fire Chief Craig Rogers said the twins completed their recruits course, which is the first stage of training, and from there they can take part in other courses to upskill.
“They are definitely good, keen boys and they have been a great asset.”
