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Trent Morley is juggling two demanding roles – as chief of the Mahurangi East Volunteer Fire Brigade, and as an associate principal of Snells Beach School.
Trent, 52, has spent more than half of his life balancing both roles, being available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while putting other aspects of his personal life aside to serve his community.
“For the last 28 years, I’ve learned how to handle it, and I’m fortunate that the school is really flexible with me,” Trent said. “There have been several occasions when the phone has rung for an emergency while I’m at school, or I’ve arrived first thing in the morning to teach without having slept because I’ve been out with the brigade.”
Despite the demands of these commitments, Trent is clear that he is a primary school teacher by profession.
Beyond the similarities and differences between the two, he sees a common thread: a desire to serve others.
“You don’t get into teaching for fame and money, you do it because you want to make a difference. And you don’t get into volunteer firefighting unless you want to help people.”
That commitment is also reflected in his daily life, from people thanking him for his work at the supermarket to his own students, who see him as a real hero when he puts on his firefighter gear and brings the fire truck to school for them to see.
“I’ve had three of my students eventually join the brigade with me, and working alongside them after having taught them was a really nice experience,” he said.
“The young people who join the brigade come to put out fires, but they stay because they enjoy helping people.”
The experience Trent has gained over the years as both a teacher and firefighter has also given him skills that he can apply to both roles.
“Being a firefighter, over time you learn to remain calm and think clearly in stressful situations. If a child has a serious accident at school, I feel prepared to remain calm and deal with it while thinking clearly. You learn to make the best decisions at the right time.”
“Being at school teaches you how to communicate with people, and that’s perfect for the brigade – communicating with people affected by an incident if they are in the middle of a fire or a car accident, and also with the other members of the brigade.”
Trent knows that the support of his family is essential, and that at times he has had to put them second to fulfil his duties, but he also knows that their support allows him to help save lives and teach the next generation, summing up his life each day in one word: “rewarding.”
