Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service has proudly welcomed 18 new firefighters and three new firefighter control operators at today’s celebration of Courses 01/26 at the Training and Development Academy (TDA).
The ceremony celebrated the successful completion of the recruits' initial training programme - weeks of intensive training – 17 weeks for the firefighter recruits and 10 weeks for the firefighter control operator recruits - recognising the commitment, resilience and hard work shown throughout the course. The course included two firefighter recruits from the Isle of Man Fire & Rescue Service.
During the intensive course, recruits developed the knowledge and practical skills needed to respond to a wide range of emergencies. Training included breathing apparatus, pumps and ladders, compartment fire behaviour, first response emergency care, road traffic collisions, compressed air foam systems, methods of entry, water rescue, working at height, hazardous materials, as well as National Resilience and Operational Assurance.
For Fire Control apprentices, four weeks were spent at the TDA learning about MFRS, communication systems, call handling, and the computerised mobilising system, followed by six weeks within the Control Room at Service Headquarters. This inclusive learning environment gradually led to handling real emergency calls.
Family, friends and colleagues joined senior officers to celebrate the occasion, with guests including Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside Peter Oliver OBE, MFRS Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Nick Searle QFSM and Isle of Man Divisional Officer Alex Rockwell. The ceremony featured operational demonstrations, presentations from the recruits and the presentation of certificates to mark their graduation from recruit firefighters to firefighters in development.
CFO Searle said: "I'm delighted that our recruits have successfully completed the most demanding training course in the UK Fire and Rescue Service to become Operational Firefighters here in Merseyside. This training has been crucial in preparing them for the varied and challenging role ahead of them, which goes beyond just fighting fires. I am extremely proud of each recruit, and I wish them a long and happy career with the Service we care so passionately about."
The new firefighters, aged between 20 and 44, come from a variety of professional backgrounds, bringing valuable skills and experience from previous roles including teacher, Royal Marine, paralegal, sports therapist and lab technician.
A highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the Top Recruit award to 34-year-old Grace Jones. A former personal trainer, Jones was recognised for her outstanding performance throughout Firefighter Recruit Course 01/26, excelling in both the practical and academic elements of the programme while consistently demonstrating the values and behaviours expected of an MFRS firefighter.
Having completed their training, the firefighter recruits will now begin their careers as firefighters in development at Community Fire Stations across Merseyside. The new firefighter control operators begin full shifts in the Control Room, taking live emergency calls and mobilising resources to incidents across the region.