Posted: Monday 4 February 2019, 16:08
Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service is delighted to welcome 12 new wholetime Firefighter recruits to the Service following a competitive recruitment process in 2018.
The next 16-weeks will see five women and seven men embark on an intensive training course at the Service’s Joint Police and Fire Training Centre in Ripley, Derbyshire. A combination of practical and theoretical training, delivered by the Service’s dedicated operational training team, will prepare the recruits for the challenges faced by a modern Firefighter serving and protecting the communities of Derbyshire.
Welcoming the recruits to the Service, Deputy Chief Fire Officer Gavin Tomlinson said: “The next 14 weeks will be challenging but equally exciting for our latest recruits. They will gain new skills as they learn how to respond professionally to a range of emergencies; they will gain confidence and knowledge that will prepare them to engage with our communities, carrying out safe and well checks and passing on valuable emergency prevention advice. They will learn how to work effectively as a team in challenging situations and they will make new lifelong friends as they go.
“I look forward to following their progress from day one today, through to passing out as a competent Firefighter, ready to serve and protect the communities of Derbyshire.”
Kevin Buttery, Chair of Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Authority said: “I’m delighted to welcome the latest recruits to the Service. Each recruit will have a different reason for choosing to become a Firefighter, but a common aim is to help prevent accidents and to save lives.
“To effectively serve and protect our communities we must understand them, and to do this it is essential that our workforce reflects the communities they serve; I’m therefore encouraged to see that five of our latest recruits, all of whom were successful in a challenging and robust recruitment process, are women.
“Nationally only 5.2% of Firefighters are women, something that through positive action we are working to redress. I understand we will be following the journey of these recruits via our social media channels and I hope that each and every one of them will be a role model to others and inspire future generations to consider a career in the fire and rescue service.”
NOTE TO EDITORS/REPORTERS
For more information, or to arrange an interview please contact Rachel Palmer or Tommy Lee on 01773 305305.
