Firefighter recruits ready for duty following training
A new generation of firefighters are ready for action, fresh from passing their training after one of the service’s largest recruitment drives.
The 32 new recruits to Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) started their training at the service’s headquarters in Washington back in September and have now passed out and are fullyfledged firefighters.
During the 12-week training programme, the trainee firefighters were taught the skills needed to keep communities safe and respond to emergencies in the region.
This was the fourth group ofrecruitstojointheorganisationsincethebeginningofthe Coronavirus pandemic – with 64 new firefighters already working on the front line.
The recruits have undergone weekly exams, coupled by a rigorous fitness regime of cardio and weights. Chief Fire Officer Chris Lowther congratulated the recruit sand welcomed them as part of the TWFRS family.
He said :" We are extremely proud of our recruits as they are the firefighters of the future.
“They have successfully completed the highly demanding training course that is intentionally challenging, as we put the recruits into scenarios they are likely to experience during their working life as serving firefighters.
“T W FR S has a proud tradition of producing some of the country’s finest firefighters and long may that continue.
“We wish our firefighters all the best for the future and look forward to them serving the people of Tyne and Wear for years to come.”
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Authority Chair, Cllr Tony Taylor, said :" It' s fantastic to see so many recruits joining Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service.
"Their training is incrediblytough but it prepares them for a lifetime of keeping our community safe not just fighting fires but the vital role they play in educating the public about the risks from fire, water and road.”
"I congratulated them on their hard work and wish them all the best."
Their training involved how to operate a fire pump, hose running, Road Traffic Collison (RTC) rescue, First Aid, delivering educational visits, and much more.
For a career in fire fighting, go to the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service website.