“I went home smiling from ear to ear after the volunteer selection day for the fire services. I thought it was brilliant right from the start and knew it was what I wanted to do. From the fourteen candidates I was one of three selected. I was a bit nervous about being one of the two women for the Heerenveen fire service but I do my work, I’m part of the team, and I’m pretty proud of it all.
Alongside my volunteer work for the Heerenveen fire service, I’m doing my graduate research for the Friesland fire authority. It means I get to see two sides to everything and that makes it really interesting. When others tend to take a step back, the emergency services steps up. That suddenly became a reality the first time my pager went. I dropped everything and with sirens and flashing lights we sped to a chimney fire. I realised later how scary it was but it didn’t feel like that at the time. Everyone is so calm, you just go with the flow. That’s an amazing feeling to have when it’s all going so fast. When your pager goes off, you have to be at the station within 5 minutes. Day and night.
The first time my pager went off at night, it was a real mindset switch. Light on, clothes on and go! It just goes to show: you’re a firefighter 24/7. Even if I’m out shopping, playing football or at a birthday party, every decision I make in my private life could have consequences on my work as a firefighter. It can even mean I have to cancel something. That can be quite hard to do but the atmosphere, the tension, the close-knit group you work with and the fact that you can do something for others makes it all worthwhile.”
Nienke van de Veer, alumnus Safety and Security Management
