I couldn’t face standing by taking photos of tragedy. Now I save lives instead
WHY JOEY QUIT LENS FOR FIRE SERVICE Being sent to report on the death of a schoolgirl finally convinced press snapper to change career and fulfil his lifelong ambition to become a retained fireman. It was the best thing he’s ever done
JOEY Kelly remembers the moment when he realised he could no longer continue being a photographer.
The former press snapper was sent to cover the death of schoolgirl Keane Wallis-Bennett in April 2014.
Keane 12, was killed when a wall collapsed at Liberton High in Edinburgh.
Joey, 48, had reported on hundreds of harrowing incidents during his lengthy career in newspapers – but it was the schoolgirl’s death that finally got to him.
He said: “Reporting on Keane really hurt me.
“She was the same age as my own daughter and here I was taking photos of her grieving friends, chapping relatives’ doors and covering the funeral.
“Not long after that, I was at home and I just thought, ‘This isn’t for me any more’.”
Joey, from Linlithgow, West Lothian, decided he wanted to do a job where, instead of capturing people’s heartbreak through a camera lens, he could try to help people.
He decided that he would finally try to fulfil his lifelong ambition to be a firefighter.
Joey even sold his camera equipment to ensure he wouldn’t be able to return to his old job.
He said: “Firefighters might see bad things, but it comes with the job and it’s not every day.
“As a photographer, I was dealing with grief and tragedy of some description nearly every day.
“I think it’s fair to say that, as a firefighter, if you see something bad, then it’s only come after you know you’ve done absolutely everything possible to save and protect life.
“When I go to incidents as a firefighter, I think, ‘I can’t wait to help whoever needs us’.”
Joey joined his local station in Linlithgow as a retained firefighter in June after completing a gruelling training regime.
But he was so committed to fulfilling his dream that he started preparing for it last year.
Joey added: “I kept seeing the fire engines. I kept seeing the recruitment adverts or Facebook posts.
“It was like the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were saying, ‘C’mon Joey – we’re waiting for you’. So I bit the bullet and went for it. “Getting from application to entry took a year of my life because I put in my leg work before I even applied.
“I wanted to do it properly and get myself mentally and physically fit.
“It wasn’t easy. There was a total overhaul of my lifestyle.
“I’d get up at 5am to go the gym, I changed my diet and forced myself to ditch Netflix binges and go to bed early.
“But it was worth it because I wanted it – and even if I hadn’t got it, I wanted to be able to say it wasn’t through lack of trying.”
The dad of two revealed his children had no idea about how his career was chipping away at his soul and his urge to change it.
In an effort to protect them from the harsh realities, Joey played along with their misapprehension that he only took photos of celebrities.
Supported by partner Donna Lynch, 44, Joey stayed motivated by visualising the day when he could pull on his Scottish Fire and Rescue Service uniform.
Joey added: “News photographers don’t get thanked a lot – in fact, we’re usually despised.
“I’ve got lots of photographer friends and I’m fully supportive of what they do – this is just my own personal thoughts.
“But having crossed that cordon, the difference is incredible. Members of the public look at you totally differently.
“The same people who’d sneer at me as a photographer are now smiling and proud to see me with the SFRS.
“You can’t under-estimate the power of the feeling that comes from being supported by the public.
“Getting to the SFRS is the most worthwhile thing I’ve ever done. And the sense of achievement that followed it is unrivalled.
“Now instead of dreading an incident I’m expected to photograph, I have a sense of overwhelming pride that comes from knowing you’re on your way to help – and maybe even save a life.”
The SFRS have around 7000 firefighters in Scotland – retained crew members like Joey account for roughly 40 per cent of them.
Candidates must be aged 18 years or over, have a good level of fitness and the required standard of vision and colour perception.
They need to live or work within five to eight minutes of the fire station.
Retained firefighters get an annual fee plus payments for every incident they attend and for time spent on activities including training nights, community engagement and courses.
SFRS Chief Officer Alasdair Hay said: “Joey and nearly 7000 others like him are living proof that heroes take many forms and it fills me with pride.
“I would encourage others to broaden their horizons, learn new skills and serve at the very heart of their community by becoming a retained firefighter.” ●Anyone interested in applying can visit firescotland.gov.uk/ work-with-us/join-us-as-aretained-firefighter.aspx or speak to someone at their local fire station.