17/06/2026
Be the first voice, first face on the worst day of someone’s life ❤️🩹
When people call 111, with their house on fire or after a car crash, it may well be Christina Piercy – mother of two, emergency dispatcher and volunteer firefighter – on the end of that call, setting in chain the urgent assistance needed while bringing a sense of calm and clarity that can save a life.
“You only have your voice and they’re often very panicked, overwhelmed and in a heightened state.
“For many people, this is the worst day of their life,” she says of her professional role as a dispatcher in Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s Northern Communications Centre in Otahuhu.
She could equally say the same of her volunteer role, which kicks into place an hour south of Auckland, where she’s Chief Fire Officer of the Whitikahu Volunteer Fire Brigade. It’s a role where she brings more than her voice, when along with her crew she brings hands-on assistance to her community in their moments of need.
At just 30, she’s been a Whitikahu volunteer for almost half her life, starting with the brigade as a 16-year-old!
“All the guys in the brigade have basically known me since I was a two-year-old. It’s small dairy-farm community and I’ve been there all my life. Everyone knows everyone.
“Both my dad and granddad were volunteers for the Coastguard and surf lifesaving. I came from a household that was big on service before self, and I was always intrigued by emergency services.
“One morning I was waiting for the school bus. One of the boys’ dads was a volunteer firefighter, and the boy happened to mention that the local brigade desperately needed people.”
And that was the moment that it all clicked
In 2024, Christina had another moment. Having already served her community as a volunteer firefighter for nearly 12 years at that stage, she was at a crossroads. Her youngest son was getting older and Christina wanted to step out of an accounts role and look for a “career – not just another job”.
And given her volunteer firefighting background, becoming a career firefighter seemed a natural and obvious choice. As she began the application process, she noticed that there were other options on the Fire and Emergency website, including working in the communications centres handling incoming calls and dispatching fire trucks and crews such as her Whitikahu colleagues.
Before she knew it, that was the path she was headed down.
“I saw the communications centre… I love talking to people… I thrive under pressure.”
And so it turned out – both a paid career and a volunteer commitment with Fire and Emergency, with each built on community service.
And Christina’s message for anyone considering volunteering, particularly with Fire and Emergency, is simple: “Go for it!”
“A lot of people think you have to be super fit, super strong, super brave… Sure, there are elements of that. There is no question that there are hard things you have to do sometimes. But there is so much more to volunteering and contributing. There are support roles that are crucial and need doing.
“You also make life-long friends. The camaraderie is amazing.
“But above all of that, there’s just something really special about being the first face or the first voice that helps someone on the worst day of their life.”
