Jolene O'Sullivan - Firefighter at Alfreton Station

Since the very beginning and throughout my employment with Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, I feel as though I have had a good support network.

I originally applied to become an on-call firefighter, however I failed my fitness test. My local fire station supported me on numerous occasions by inviting me to practice the fitness test before being retested. With their help and encouragement, I passed second time. 

During my career I have had many amazing opportunities, including learning British Sign Language (BSL) becoming a fire safe advisor and lead cadet instructor. I was able to experience a week sailing with our Fire Cadets in 2022. This was a great experience for me because at times I was pushed out of my comfort zone and since feel like I have become more confident in myself. I was also fortunate enough to win an award for ‘Young Peoples Champion’ last year. 

Recently, I stepped down as lead instructor with the cadets, as with determination I started my new role as a wholetime firefighter. The support I received from my colleagues when applying for the wholetime position was outstanding. I love my new role and enjoy working closely with my watch.