Posted: Monday 11 March 2024, 13:53
On Sunday 10 March, Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service formally welcomed 10 new on-call firefighters and 7 new control operators at a pass out ceremony attended by their family and friends.
Derbyshire’s Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) Rob Taylor hosted the ceremony to celebrate and recognise on-call firefighters from course 1-24 and control operators who have undertaken their foundation training course with presentation of certificates, special awards, and operational displays.
Speaking after the ceremony, DCFO Taylor said: “A pass out ceremony is a special occasion for everyone as we celebrate our newest on-call firefighters and control room operators and formally mark the beginning of the next phase of their fire service career.
“All our recruits joining us today have their own reasons for joining Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service. A common theme is to help prevent accidents and to save lives within our communities.
“Whether as an on-call firefighter or a control room operator, undertaking such a role would not be possible without the support of family, therefore it’s an honour to welcome all those passing out but also their families.
“Each of our recruits have received the highest possible level of training from a dedicated team of professionals, and I am confident their achievements in gaining these essential foundations will put them in good stead as they join fire stations across Derbyshire and our joint control.
“I wish them all well and look forward to following their careers.”
The 10 new on-call firefighters will now take up positions on fire stations across Derbyshire, serving Alfreton, Swadlincote, Duffield, Glossop, Clay Cross, Staveley, Hathersage and Ashbourne.
Like wholetime operational colleagues, our new control operators join a duty system consisting of four watches – Blue, Green, Red and White – working in our joint control room covering both Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
Special Awards
At the end of each firefighter trainee course, three special awards are presented.
The Teamwork Award is presented to the trainee who has given help and support to other members of the team probably at times away from the gaze of the instructors.
The Technical Award is presented to the trainee who has achieved the highest combined mark in all their technical exams.
The Silver Axe is presented to the trainee who has consistently achieved a high standard in both the technical and practical aspects of the course from day one.
The special awards for on-call course 1-24 were presented to:
- Silver Axe – Sam Haney
- Technical Award – Kimberley Hoskins
- Teamwork Award – Duane St Clair AND Sam Haney
In a first for DFRS, three special awards were also presented to our new control room operators.
The Teamwork Award is presented to the trainee who has given help and support to other members of the team probably at times away from the case of the trainers.
The Commitment and Dedication Award is presented to the trainee who has shown a consistent level of commitment and dedication from the outset.
The Exemplary Standards Award is presented to the trainee who has consistently achieved a high standard in all aspects of the course from day one.
The special awards for the latest Firefighter Control Foundation Training Course were presented to:
- Exemplary Standards – Jacob Key
- Commitment and Dedication Award – Melissa Matthews
- Teamwork Award – Jacob Key