Summary
“Duncan is joined by firefighter Steve Devine and union representative Dave Phillips, who share what is really happening on the frontline. They describe trucks breaking down on the way to fires, stations closed for years, and a lack of critical equipment across the country.
The conversation goes deeper into the human cost of the job, including increased cancer risk, repeated trauma exposure and the lack of formal mental health support for firefighters after major incidents.
They also raise serious concerns about accountability, leadership decisions and spending, warning that New Zealand could be dangerously exposed if a major incident hits.”
The podcast interview covers a lot of ground and provides insight into deeper problems within New Zealand as well as highlighting some growing risks in urban environments.
Key issues covered in the podcast.
- Damaged and ageing firetrucks, often broken.
- Auckland is short on working firetrucks, trucks needing to be driven up from Hamilton to respond to large fires.
- Issues with lithium ion battery fires in high-rise apartments (e.g. e-scooters) and electric vehicles in multilevel carparks.
- Low wages for frontline fire crews.
- FENZ management and board are very well paid (What Duncan calls “Fatcat salaries”).
- FENZ management is getting better at “spin”, they lied at a select committee.
- Health & Safety “overkill” generally, yet lack of support and protection for firefighters (especially around trauma counselling and cancer risks).
Podcast Details
Title: ‘We’re Going Backwards’: Firefighters Sound The Alarm On Pay, Resources
Runtime: 40 minutes.
Published on: 28 April 2026
Published by: Duncan Garner Podcast
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCyEu0SkDZ8
