More retained firefighters than ever before will soon be providing fire cover across Kendal thanks to a successful recruitment drive by Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service.
The picture shows Kendal's six newest firefighters at Barrow fire station's training centre, where they took part part in a passing out ceremony last Friday (16 March) in front of Cumbria's Chief's Fire Officer Bernard Dolan. The latest batch of recruits brings Kendal's compliment of retained firefighters up to a record nineteen.
Retained firefighters crew nine in ten of the county's fire engines and before joining the service, recruits must take part in an exacting fitness test during which they have to demonstrate their suitability for the service in a series of ladder, hose and breathing apparatus exercises.
Recruits who pass this stage then have to undergo an intensive training course which takes in firefighting techniques, different rescue procedures, theory tests and the full range of other skills essential in the modern fire service.
Only when recruits pass this phase are they accepted into the Fire and Rescue Service. The training doesn't stop there, with retained firefighters required to undertake weekly training nights throughout their service.
Changes to crewing arrangements in Kendal, which come into force in April, will see retained firefighters taking over night-time cover from their regular colleagues in the town between 8:00pm and 8:00am.
The changes, which will not affect the Fire and Rescue Service's ability to continue responding to different emergencies in every part of Kendal within existing call-out standards, were agreed by the county council last year and will free up more investment for the sort of fire prevention work which has already led to a two-thirds reduction in fire injuries across Cumbria over last four years.
In addition to their normal training, Kendal's retained firefighters have also been schooled in specialist skills like swift water rescue and the operation of the town's high-volume pump, which has the staggering ability to transfer 7,000 litres of water per minute.
Councillor Elizabeth Baraclough, cabinet member responsible for the Fire and Rescue Service who will be attending the latest passing out parade, said: " "Retained firefighters are trained by the Fire and Rescue service to do the same job as their regular counterparts, but on a part-time basis - they are the backbone of the county's fire service. They are ordinary people doing an extraordinary job.
"Two in every three people who die in fires do so before the Fire and Rescue Service is even called. So in addition to responding to fires and emergencies our firefighters are out in the community giving advice and practical help on the prevention of fires, ultimately saving more lives."
People interested in becoming a retained firefighter can find more information by logging on to the Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service website at: www.cumbriafire.gov.uk
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Media enquiries to Mark Graham, Media Officer on 01228-606337
Notes
The picture shows:
(Top row from left to right) Kendal's latest retained firefighters Alexander Shaw, Jason Knowles, Stuart Cook, Chief Fire Officer Bernard Dolan;
(bottom row left to right) Anthony McCooey, Daniel Newby and Stuart Reid (firefighter Reid will provide cover at Kendal and Staveley fire stations).