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Airforce

Aviation Rescue Firefighter

Protect lives and mission critical assets as part of our Aviation Rescue & Fire Fighting (ARFF) teams at airfields and bases.

Mō te tūranga

About the role

  • Specialisations

    Safety Management & Emergency Response

  • Entry type

    General entry

  • Under training

    $68,103

  • Location

    Ohakea, Whenuapai, Woodbourne

As an Aviation Rescue Firefighter you’ll be part of a highly versatile Specialist Aviation Rescue & Fire Fighting (ARFF) team located at established and expeditionary airfields to enable both military and civilian aircraft operations. The ARFF units are staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to deliver an emergency response capability for Aviation, Industrial, Urban and Rural firefighting in support of personnel, infrastructure and mission critical assets at airfields, defence and local areas as well as in deployed locations. The ARFF Trade may also support Fire Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) as well as other Emergency Service providers at Local, Regional, National and International emergencies.

Aviation Rescue & Fire Fighting is a challenging job, both physically and mentally. You will be required to maintain a high level of fitness to conduct rescue and firefighting operations in challenging environments including at heights and in confined spaces. You will carry out regular skills maintenance training, designed to help you retain the knowledge, skills and attributes required to make the right decisions in dangerous situations.

Camaraderie is second to none; integrity, trust and teamwork are values held high in the ARFF trade.

All Fire Flights work a 6 day operational shift set: a day shift, a 24 hour shift, and a night shift followed by 3 rostered days off.

To be part of the team we don’t expect you to be the best, but to give your best. It is as a team that we will be the best.

Accepting Applications

  • Recruit 2/25, starts 19 May 2025 Apply by 20 Jan 2025

    Apply Now
  • Recruit 3/25, starts 22 Sep 2025 Apply by 26 May 2025

    Apply Now

Requirements

Basics

  • Must be 18 years old by the time you graduate from recruit course.
  • Eligible to meet national security clearance criteria, as stipulated by the Government's Protective Security Requirements.

Education

  • 3 years secondary school.

Note, qualifications may be used to assess trade suitability.

Citizenship

There are strict citizenship and security requirements to gain the required CV security clearance for this trade.
Find out if you’re eligible here.

Period of Service

Your training is some of the most thorough and advanced in the world. Once you have graduated from the Fire Fighter Intermediate Course as an Aviation Rescue Firefighter Specialist, you’ll be contractually obliged to spend another 12 months in the Air Force.

We offer guidance on entry requirements in our eligibility section. Apply if you're uncertain, as we’ll work through the criteria with you to determine if you can proceed.

“Any opportunity we get, we are out there training. Fighting fires, practicing on the aircraft helps builds that team work and comradeship.”

Tem & Gordon

Aviation Rescue Firefighters

  • Job on base

    Your duties will range from day-to-day maintenance and servicing of operational ARFF vehicles and equipment, physical training and maintaining your rescue & firefighting competencies to fire safety awareness training for base personnel.

     

    Rostered onto an emergency response crew and ready to respond at a moment’s notice, you’ll be part of a Specialist ARFF team to enable military and civilian aircraft operations. The principle objective of a Specialist ARFF team is to save life in the event of an aircraft accident or incident at, or in the immediate vicinity of the airfield. These teams are provided to create and maintain survivable conditions, to provide egress routes for occupants and to initiate the rescue of those occupants unable to make their escape without direct aid. The team must assume at all times the possibility of, and need for extinguishing fire which may: exist at the time an aircraft is landing, taking off, parked; or occur immediately following an aircraft accident or incident; or occur at any time during rescue operations.

     

    As part of your duties you’ll be required to be part of Emergency Response team in order to save life and minimise damage to NZDF personnel, infrastructure, mission critical assets and the environment in the event of incidents occurring within Defence areas, including: structural fires, motor vehicle accidents (MVA), hazardous materials incidents and medical events. RNZAF ARFF teams also provide Rural Fire Fighting Teams to save life and minimise property damage either in Defence Areas or in neighbouring civilian areas.

     

    Further opportunities exist for you to work alongside NZ Army Emergency Responders both on deployment and through joint NZDF training. As you progress there are opportunities for you to carry out training and courses with other Emergency Service Organisations.

  • Job on deployment

    Whilst on deployment as an Aviation Rescue Firefighter you may provide Firefighting teams in support of deployed NZDF, coalition militaries’ and civilian fire and emergency services. The principle objective is to save life and minimise damage to facilities, equipment, mission critical assets and the environment in the event of incidents occurring within the area of operations. 

     

    This can range from participating in overseas military exercises, providing ARFF cover at National Air Shows to supporting international aircraft operations in Antarctica.

Supporting Exercise Skytrain

From low-level flying to load drops, it takes a team to successfully execute an exercise involving the C-130H Hercules. Hear from a Pilot, Aviation Fuel Specialist & Rescue Firefighter about how they

Career progression and training

01Basic Training

02Job Training

03Ongoing Training

04Specialist Training

05Career progression

Benefits & allowances

Earn a competitive salary while training or learning your trade, along with additional allowances for time spent in the field, at sea, overseas, or deployed on operations.

In addition to salary and allowances, other benefits of joining the New Zealand Defence Force include:

  • Access to your Service marae or tūrangawaewae
  • Sponsored tertiary study programmes at all levels
  • Free access to gyms and swimming pools on camp and bases
  • Opportunities to travel
  • Free and subsidised medical and dental care
  • Subsidised food and accommodation on camps and bases
  • Free and subsidised insurance cover
  • Help to buy a home and save for retirement

Salary & benefits

Careers in the Air Force are well-rewarded, as well as being diverse and exciting. As you become more experienced and move up through the ranks, gaining additional skills and qualifications, you will see your salary rise accordingly.

  • Under training

    $68,103

  • Future potential earnings

    $98,000

20220909 NZDF R1055140 005

Am I fit enough?

If you want to be part of the NZ Defence Force you need to be medically and physically fit for military duties worldwide.

Air Force Application Process 20240920

The application process

Your step-by-step guide on what to expect at various stages of the application process, specifically for military roles.

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Ready to start your Air Force career?

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