Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is now recruiting the next group of Fire Cadets for the new academic year.
Fire Cadets is a youth initiative for 12 to 16 year olds and is run by firefighters, staff and volunteers with support from the Service’s Safety Education Team. The Cadets programme seeks to be representative of the community it serves and we actively encourage individuality, diversity and inclusion.
Fire Cadets participate in practical and theoretical fire and rescue service activities, including hose drills, breathing apparatus procedures and fire safety awareness sessions. The scheme teaches young people essential life skills such as self-discipline, confidence and leadership.
Recruitment for Fire Cadets is now open, and the course is due to run from the week commencing Monday, 30 October 2023 to July 2024. The Fire Cadets course runs for the academic year, in term time only.
There are four Fire Cadet Units in Berkshire – which are based at Crowthorne Fire Station, Maidenhead Fire Station, Whitley Wood Fire Station and Newbury Fire Station. Crowthorne, Maidenhead and Newbury are now fully subscribed.
Courses held at Crowthorne Fire Station and Whitley Wood Fire Station take place on Wednesday evenings, and those at Newbury Fire Station and Maidenhead Fire Station take place on Thursday evenings. All sessions take place weekly, running from 7pm to 9pm. At the end of the course, the Fire Cadets will have a graduation ceremony, where they will perform drills in front of their family and friends, demonstrating what they have learnt during the course.
Liz Warren, Safety Education Manager, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming a new group of new Fire Cadets this October. Our committed Fire Cadet Instructors and volunteers are ready to support them throughout the year and we are all excited to see how they progress. During the course, the Cadets will have the opportunity to work with others within their communities, developing team building and leadership skills while participating in fire and rescue service activities.
“Sessions consist of a combination of practical and theoretical fire and rescue service activities, including understanding how the fire and rescue service operates and learning about fire, road and water safety. The course is designed to be 80% practical, with all of our Cadet units using dedicated fire engines and equipment. The Cadets also have uniform and fire kit provided for the duration of the course.”
If you are between 12 and 16 years old and are interested in this opportunity, or if you know someone who would be interested in taking part, please email the relevant Cadet unit to register your interest before Saturday, 30 September. The unit’s Lead Instructor will then respond to you with an application form for you and your parent/guardian to complete.
You can also visit our Fire Cadets page for more information.