Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) welcomed its newest cohort of Wholetime Firefighters at a Graduation Ceremony held today (on Friday, 20 June) at Maidenhead Fire Station.
The 12 graduates were each welcomed and congratulated by Mark Arkwell, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, and Councillor Paul Gittings, Vice-Chair of the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority.
While their families and friends proudly watched on, the wholetime firefighter graduates demonstrated some of the firefighting and rescue skills that they have learnt during their several weeks of initial training.
The cohort began with a combined hose pump ladder and breathing apparatus drill, which involved a rescue while working at height and extinguishing a fire while wearing breathing apparatus. The final demonstration they performed was a road traffic collision scenario, which required them to work together to extricate a ‘casualty’ that was trapped in a car.
During the ceremony, two special awards were presented by Mark Arkwell, Deputy Chief Fire Officer. The Endeavour Award was presented to Firefighter Shannon D’Cruz, for showing great dedication and commitment to self-improvement, and demonstrating admirable determination when learning new skills.
Whilst the Silver Axe Award was presented to Firefighter Ryan Evans for best overall performance in this year’s consolidation course, showing a strong sense of leadership that has continued to grow and develop.
Mark Arkwell, Deputy Chief Fire Officer said: “I felt incredibly privileged to formally welcome our 12 newest Wholetime Firefighters into the Service.
“After months of hard work and dedication during their training course, the Graduation Ceremony is an excellent way to celebrate their achievements and mark the beginning of their journey with us in keeping the communities of Berkshire safe.”
Councillor Paul Gittings, Vice-Chair of the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority said: “I was delighted to welcome the latest cohort of Firefighters to Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
“They join a team of supportive, resilient and highly-skilled colleagues, and I have no doubt that the Graduates will continue to develop their capabilities and deliver excellent service to residents across the county.”
During their training, the firefighter recruits took part in an apprentice tradition. They organised a fundraising challenge to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity. In May, the cohort cycled the equivalent of the Three Peaks Challenge – approximately 485 miles – on static bikes at The Lexicon in Bracknell. With their amazing effort and the generosity of supporters, they raised over £6,000 for the Fire Fighters Charity.
The graduates have now joined their new watches at fire stations across the county to continue their development.
To learn more about how to become a Wholetime Firefighter in Berkshire, please visit rbfrs.co.uk/discovery.