Keeping it in the family
Son joins fire service the day dad retires
A firefighter who’s retiring on the day his son joins the fire service will hand over his helmet as part of his graduation ceremony on Friday.
Kobi Poole is following in the footsteps of his father Terry by joining the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
The 25-year-old loved trying on his dad’s helmet and pretending to be like his hero when he was a little boy.
And now, 20 years later, in an amazing coincidence, Kobi will officially become a new recruit on the day his dad hangs up his oxygen mask for the final time.
Terry, 50, who has rescued survivors at disaster sites around the world, said: “To say that I’m proud of Kobi would be a massive understatement.
“It’s coincidental how it’s all worked out. My last day was supposed to be Friday but that’s the day Kobi ‘passes out,’ so I had to get my last shift covered.
“It’s a time of great celebration for our family.”
Kobi, who has been training at the SFRS centre in Cambuslang, added: “The timing is just crazy. I’m so proud to be following in his footsteps.”
Terry became a firefighter in 1992 and has protected communities across Scotland and throughout the world thanks to his specialised urban search and rescue skills.
The veteran was on hand to help survivors in Christchurch, New Zealand, after the 2011 earthquake which claimed 185 lives.
Terry also carried out rescues at the Stockline gas explosion in Glasgow in 2004, in which nine people were killed.
His specialist skills are vital for responding to other types of major incidents, including terror attacks.
Kobi admits Terry’s career inspired him to join the fire service. He said: “There’s no doubt that becoming a firefighter like my dad is something I’ve always wanted to do.
“I had a good idea that the job was about more than just fire fighting – and that’s something which made me want to join.
“It’s exciting because there are lots of different areas to the job.
“We’re learning about the importance of home fire safety visits and trying to prevent things from happening.
“There’s other specialised areas of work as well, such as water rescue, to prepare us for responding to severe weather related flooding, and rope rescue.
“There is no doubt it’s challenging but definitely exciting.
“I can’t wait for the passing out parade, to build on everything I have learned from my dad and do both him and the fire service proud.” THE HOTEL