Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service is to recognise employees and members of the public who have gone the extra mile in the interests of public safety at its first ever awards ceremony.
People whose lives have been devastated by road accidents who now talk to schoolchildren about the dangers of reckless driving are just some of the Cumbrians nominated for awards at the Together Towards Success event which takes place this Friday evening (11 May) at Penrith's North Lakes Hotel.
The awards, which have been funded in full by Washington Group International, also include catergories for firefighters who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in community safety initiatives and personnel who are regaraded as pillars of their local community.
Alongside firefighters and members of the public who have shown special acts of innovation and bravery, the awards will also recognise the achievements of the service's unsung heroes - the backroom staff who keep the fire engines on the road and make sure an emergency response is always just a phone call away.
The shortlist for each of the twelve award categories has been drawn up by an independent panel of judges drawn from Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service and Washington Group International with the winners announced on the night.
Councillor Elizabeth Barraclough, the county council's cabinet member responsible for Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service who will be presenting awards at the ceremony, said: "The Together Towards Success Awards are a great way to recognise the achievements of the people who have gone the extra mile in the interests of public safety and the communities they serve.
Cumbria's Acting Chief Fire Officer, Dominic Harrison said: "These awards are all about saying thank you to the personnel and members of the public who do so much to help Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service in its work to keep the public safe.
"Special thanks go to Washington Group International who in addition to sponsoring these awards, have helped the Fire and Rescue Service fund a number of community safety initiatives in the county.
Iain Irving, West Cumbria Director of Operations for Washington Group International, said: "Washington Group is committed to safety as its number one priority throughout its operations.
"But we know that it cannot be taken for granted and outstanding safety performance is only achieved through the commitment of every person concerned. So we are delighted to honour these teams who have led the way in keeping their communities safe."
Attached is a list of the nominees in each of the Together Towards Success Awards categories. Photos of the winners receiving their awards will be available after the event.
ENDS
Media enquiries to Mark Graham, Media Officer on 01228-606337
Notes
Cumbria's Fire & Rescue Service was recently awarded top marks by the Audit Commission for the way it delivers services across the county.
Innovative fire prevention work carried out by firefighters and community safety officers across the county has led to a two thirds reduction in fire injuries over the last two years.