No two days are the same

Emma Austin is a Station Officer with Brooklyn Fire Station, Wellington. 

Being a firefighter means no two days are the same. A typical day  usually involves skill maintenance, Physical Training, community education, smoke alarm checks, and responding to emergency calls.

I have been a firefighter for almost half  my life and feel fortunate to have a fulfilling career that gives me the opportunity to help people in their darkest times while still being around to watch my daughters grow up. As a family, we like to spend our free time hanging out together, travelling to new places, and turning our sports trips into mini getaways whenever possible.

My husband and I think about life post-retirement and therefore have planned our finances accordingly. It is not wise to rely on government superannuation post-retirement, as it alone cannot guarantee the type of lifestyle many people aim for and there is no assurance that it will still be around by the time I retire. Therefore, I value my FireSuper as it is an additional way of saving and will be accessible even if I choose to retire early. I would recommend the scheme to new members as it is easy to access information through the website and allows them to reap benefits in the long run.

I am lucky to have a husband in the industry and generally rely on his knowledge for my financial decisions. The majority of our savings are long-term therefore; market volatility does not bother us. I have recently switched my scheme to a growth plan to benefit from the falling market. I still have 10-15 years of service left therefore; I am comfortable taking some risks for long-term gains.

Post-retirement I would love to keep traveling with my family and pursue my hobbies and sports activities.