Release date: 3 December 2024
Two new on-call firefighters have joined West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service after successfully completing their initial two-week training course.
On-call firefighters often have full-time employment elsewhere but respond to emergency calls within their local area.
The new recruits live or work nearby to one of the service’s fire stations and will respond to emergencies either from their place of work or from home.
The course was delivered in partnership with East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service and recruits from both counties took part in the training.
West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Gary Ball, presented the recruits with their certificates at Platinum House in Horsham on Friday (29 November) in front of their proud families.
Speaking after the event, he said: “It was fantastic to officially welcome our new on-call firefighters into the service.
“It’s been a challenging two weeks for them, but their hard work has paid off and they are now ready to join their crews and serve their communities.
“They should be very proud of themselves, and I look forward to watching them continue to develop their skills throughout their careers in the fire and rescue service.
“This was our first time running a joint on-call training course with East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service and it’s been a great opportunity for the recruits to work with colleagues from another service.
“There will be times during their careers when they attend cross-border incidents and need to work closely with neighbouring fire and rescue services, so being able to build those working relationships early on will really benefit them.”
Councillor Duncan Crow, Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue, said: “I would like to congratulate our new on-call firefighters. They have worked extremely hard, and I wish them all the best in their careers. They have a vital role to play in keeping people safe and I know they will make their communities proud.”
The new firefighters, and where they will be based, are:
- Jarod Van Blerk – Burgess Hill
- Omar Abdul-Sattar – Shoreham
People can find out more about becoming a retained firefighter.
