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Cadets

  • Are you aged 13 to 17-years-old?
  • Are you able to commit to attending cadets once a week during term time?
  • Would you like an exciting and unique opportunity to develop your personal skills in teamwork, leadership and citizenship through undertaking firefighter activities?

Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service are proud to run National Cadet Units across Derbyshire.

Fire Cadets

Derbyshire Fire Cadets is an enjoyable programme where young people commit to attending one night a week at one of our four cadet units during term time.

A typical unit consists of 15 Cadets, all from varied and diverse backgrounds, aged between 13 and 17. The units are supported by our youth officers, and operational firefighters.

The programme provides young people with an insight into working within the fire service and provides an exciting and unique opportunity to:

  • Work alongside experienced Fire Cadet Instructors.
  • Develop transferable, practical skills for future training or employment.
  • The opportunity to gain experience with Duke of Edinburgh award
  • Increase your knowledge of fire safety.
  • Enhance key citizenship skills and build confidence.
  • Work in partnership with other uniformed cadet organisations.
  • Play supportive roles in their local community and develop positive peer relationships.
  • And represent Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service at prestigious events.

The Fire Cadet units run at the following times and locations:

Fire Station Date Time
Shirebrook Monday 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Chesterfield Tuesday 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Ilkeston Wednesday 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Buxton Wednesday 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Ascot Drive Thursday 6.30pm - 8.30pm

How can I join?

To join, please click your preferred Cadet station links after which you will be directed to our application form.

Once you have submitted your application form it will be added to a waiting list for your chosen unit. If and when a space at the unit becomes available all applications on the waiting list will be assessed and the highest scoring applicant will then be offered a place, with start dates in January, April and September each year. 

Please ensure you complete the application form in full and to the best of your ability to give you the best chance of being successful in the application process.

For further information or if you have any questions regarding applying for Fire Cadets please contact the Youth Team on youth@derbys-fire.gov.uk .

If you want to see what our current cadets are getting up to, you can follow them on Twitter @YouthDfrs and Instagram @youthdfrs


Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service is part of Youth United Foundation, which is a network of voluntary youth groups in the county. If you are interested in exploring cadet and youth group opportunities elsewhere within Derbyshire, visit the Youth United Foundation.