Our trainee firefighters are pictured above.

11 December 2009

Twenty-one trainees are being welcomed to Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service at a ceremony today.

They have just completed the first phase of their development as firefighters – a physically and mentally demanding 11-week course at the Fire Service College at Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.

The trainees, selected from over 1,000 people who queued for application packs earlier this year, will give a display of some of the skills they have learned to their families and friends, along with representatives of Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority, before being presented with certificates by its Chairman, Councillor David Rowlands.

After completing a further three weeks’ training at Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s training school in Haddenham to consolidate what they have learned, they will be posted to their fire stations next month to start work on the next stage of their development.

Eight are going to High Wycombe, three to Broughton, two each to Aylesbury, Bletchley and Great Holm and one each to Amersham, Beaconsfield, Buckingham and Gerrards Cross.

Roger Brinklow, Group Manager Operational Training, said: “The presentation day marks the end of the beginning for our trainees. Their next milestone is an NVQ level 3 in Operations in the Community, which is two to three years away.

“Their personal development will never stop throughout their careers, whether they remain as firefighters, move into a specialist role such as fire safety or pursue a management role.”

The NVQ enables firefighters to develop skills for the proactive part of their work, which includes visiting schools to teach children about fire safety issues, and encouraging people to fit smoke alarms in their homes.

Roger added: “The presentation day is a special day for the families and friends as well as the recruits. These are the people who will support them throughout their rewarding and challenging careers, and who they have been apart from for the best part of three months.

“It’s an opportunity for them to see a practical demonstration of some of the skills the recruits have already gained.”

It’s also a very satisfying day for Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s instructors at college, which provides unique facilities for practical and theoretical firefighting, fire safety and accident emergency training.

Denis O’Driscoll, Area Manager Response, said: “The recruits are joining the service at a particularly exciting and challenging time.

“Considering the huge number of applicants we had, we are confident we have got the best people for the service - firefighters who will further enhance our aim of providing an excellent fire and rescue service for the communities we serve, and all the people who work in or travel through Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.”

Ten more applicants have been selected to start their training in February 2010.