The 69-year-old retired from the New Zealand Fire Service on Friday, three weeks shy of completing 46 years with the organisation in a variety of roles.
Mr Tetzlaff said his fellow firefighters at the Dunedin central fire station had become lifelong mates.
"You get to know people and you get to trust them in dangerous situations.
"They're basically friends for life because you are putting your life in each others' hands at times," he said.
In his latest 11-year stint at the Dunedin central fire station, Mr Tetzlaff held the roles of audit officer, volunteer support officer and operational planning officer.
He joined the service as a volunteer in Kawhia about 1961 and, following a short break, he again became a volunteer in Tauranga, then a permanent staff member in 1968.
"I was a mechanic by trade and the chief asked me if I was interested in servicing the fire trucks and working as a full-time officer.
"I did that until about 1971 or 1972, then I went into fire safety and started moving around."
Mr Tetzlaff first moved to Dunedin in 1981, working as a fireman for about four years before relocating to Wellington.
A couple of years in the city was enough, and he returned to Dunedin until 1991.
Mr Tetzlaff took early retirement from the Fire Service in 1995, but in 2001 returned to Dunedin and to his career.
"It's always been a good place to work.
There is always an element of danger, but it is an interesting career and every day is different."
In his early years as a fireman, Mr Tetzlaff worked 24 hours on, 24 hours off. Modern shifts were harder, he said.
His children pursued different careers, although his son's partner was a firefighter, as was a niece's husband.
"The Fire Service is like a big family.
"There is great camaraderie."
Retirement would involve travelling with wife Gaye, a spot of fishing and "hopefully" time to take up lawn bowls.
