Council and democracy

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service at the forefront of retained recruit training

In what is thought to be a first for UK Fire Services, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has changed the way retained firefighters are trained to make them safe and competent in just 14 weeks.

Previously, as in most other Fire and Rescue Services, retained trainees in Hertfordshire would complete a few nights pre course training, followed by a week long course at training centre. They then went out to station and would complete the other modules of Breathing Apparatus, Road Traffic Collision and First Aid over the course of year.

Training instructors at Hertfordshire felt that there was a better way of delivering the training and in a bold move, have brought all the modules together to be delivered in one 14 week course.

The trainees commit to the full course before they start, and by the time they go out to station, they have completed all of the necessary training modules.

Chief Fire Officer Roy Wilsher said: “We have just completed our first 14 week retained recruit training course and it’s been a big success.

“The trainees acquire additional skills and experience on this course which they just weren’t able to get before. Team work is a huge part of the fire service and the trainees are able to bond and work together through the various modules. The environment they are now training in is much more similar to the work setting they go into once they’ve completed the course, so they go on to station far more prepared than ever before.”

In another first, the retained recruits also had a passout parade at the end of the training course. They were able to demonstrate their new skills to family and friends and were officially welcomed into the Service by Chief Fire Officer Roy Wilsher.

To mark the occasion, the retained recruits presented the Chief Fire Officer with a commemorative ceiling hook, an old tradition in the Fire and Rescue Service. Every fire engine in the county carries a ceiliing hook and the new style are made from fibre glass. The plaque on this traditional wooded hook reads ‘Presented to CFO by the Retained Recruits Squad.’ It was accepted by Deputy Chief Fire Officer Mark Yates on his behalf.

Keith Emsall, Executive Member for Community Safety and Culture said: “The Fire Service is always looking for new and innovative ways of doing things and they’ve come up trumps again.

“This new way of training retained firefighters means that they can be fully trained and helping to keep our communities safe in just a few months from when they sign up. I’m delighted to welcome them into the Service and look forward to meeting more new recruits later this year.”

Due to the success of the course and the positive feedback from the new recruits, future retained training will be delivered in this way. The next course is due to start in September this year.