Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has welcomed a group of 21 new recruits to join stations around the county.
The new faces will soon be seen riding in fire engines as they begin their operational careers with the Service in the coming weeks. This follows them completing an intensive 11-week training course in Cardiff, delivered by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
Road traffic collisions
The course put the new recruits through their paces, learning how to deal with an array of emergency situations including fires, rescues from water, and road traffic collisions. Their training culminated with a demonstration and pass-out parade at Cardiff Gate, in front of their proud families, friends, and senior officers.
Their training culminated with a demonstration and pass-out parade at Cardiff Gate
Chief Fire Officer Chris Strickland, who was in attendance at the pass-out parade and presented the new recruits with their certificates, said: “I am pleased to be able to welcome the latest group of recruits to the Service. Mastering the wide range of basic skills required to be an operational firefighter has no doubt been a great challenge over the last eleven weeks.”
Modern day firefighters
“Much of the training so far has been focussed on preparing to respond to operational emergency situations, which requires a great deal of preparation. As modern-day firefighters, the group must also get to grips with working proactively in the community, helping to educate residents and raise awareness of the dangers of fire.”
“Our work in the community is crucially important as we often encounter some of the most vulnerable people in society. This role these new recruits will be fulfilling when they start on their watches is equally as vital and rewarding as our response work, as it is proven to reduce societal risk of deaths and injuries in fires and other emergencies. We wish this cohort of firefighters the best of luck and hope they enjoy helping us to make Cambridgeshire a safer place to live and work.”
Complete the training course
The group have all worked extremely hard to complete the training course"
Chairman of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority Kevin Reynolds added: “With more than 800,000 residents to serve across the county, our firefighters have a challenging job but one that is extremely rewarding. The group have all worked extremely hard to complete the training course and I know they will be very keen to get started on their watches.”
“We thank South Wales Fire and Rescue Service for putting our newest recruits through their paces in the first steps of their careers as firefighters. The people of Cambridgeshire are at the center of everything we do and we look forward to welcoming these new recruits on this journey. Together, we really can make Cambridgeshire a safer place to be.” The new recruits are as follows:
Cambridge Fire Station
- Caroline Dixon (35) – Caroline joins us having been an on-call firefighter in Sawtry and has previously worked in Combined Fire Control for Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.
- Daniel Barsby (23) - Daniel has been an on-call firefighter in Whittlesey for three years while he worked at a local takeaway.
- Liam Napier (23) – Prior to becoming a wholetime firefighter, Liam worked in Combined Fire Control for Cambridgeshire and Suffolk and is an on-call firefighter in Huntingdon.
- Sam Cornwell (25) –Sam is from Ely and has volunteered as a Special in the Police for three years while also working as a crane operator.
- Shaun Colson (32) – Shaun is a dad to two boys and organises charity events for CLIC Sargent. Prior to becoming a firefighter, Shaun worked as an estate agent.
- Tom Dockerill (28) – Tom has been an on-call firefighter for St Ives for nearly two years, whilst also working for DHL.
Wisbech Fire Station
- Daniel Bergin (27) – Daniel is from Spalding and prior to joining Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service worked in a Children’s Residential Care Home.
- Stephen Turner (34) Stephen lives in Murrow, and joins us following a career in the Royal Military Police, where he worked for six years.
Huntingdon Fire Station
- Dean Johnson (25) - Dean has been an on-call firefighter in Whittlesey for six years and was recently promoted to crew commander.
- Jamie Cook (29) – Jamie has been an on-call firefighter at Whittlesey for nearly 18 months, and previously managed an ice rink.
- Nathan Glover (27) – Nathan joins us following a career as a savings advisor. He also has a degree in Interior Architectural and Structural Design and is an on-call firefighter at Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade.
- Matthew Wilson (25) – Matthew has been an on-call firefighter at March for over four years, as well as working as a prison officer.
- Paul Hudson (33) – Paul is a furniture maker and on-call firefighter in Ely.
St Neots Fire Station
- Jamie Houghton (27) – Jamie is a fitness and lifestyle coach from Thrapston and has been an on-call firefighter with Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service for two years.
- Matt Dennington (27) – Matt has been a paramedic for four years and has previously been an on-call firefighter. He now lives in Stilton.
Ely Fire Station
Lee Jaggard (37) – Lee is from Cambridge and has previously worked in the RAF and as a paramedic for the East of England Ambulance Service.
Dogsthorpe Fire Station
- Dewi Pearce (26) – Dewi lives is Barnack and prior to joining the Service was a Royal Marine for seven years.
- Emma Chapman (28) Prior to joining Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, Emma worked in the Special Education Needs Team at Peterborough City Council. Emma is from Huntingdon.
- Emma Seymour (28) – Emma has been an on-call firefighter for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service and also worked for the East of England Ambulance Service as an emergency medical technician.
Stanground Fire Station
- Liam Mountford (26) – Liam has worked as an on-call firefighter in Ely and also Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service. Prior to becoming a fulltime firefighter, Liam worked in CFRS’s Business Support Group.
- Matt Beare (27) – Matt is a self-employed plumbing and heating engineer as well as an on-call firefighter in Wisbech, where he’s worked for over eight years.