Kings Langley Fire Station’s newest recruit has already established herself as a valuable member of the crew. Helen Read, a 46-year-old mother of three adult children, completed her training course at the end of last year and was fully operational in time for Christmas.
Helen describes the 10-week course as “physically challenging, but definitely do-able, it’s all a question of application”. The course consists of a mix of theoretical and physical elements, all of which must be successfully completed in order for the recruit to pass. Helen also says that “Being female was not an issue, neither was my age, I was just one of the recruits”.
Helen grew up in Kings Langley, in fact her childhood home backs on to the fire station, and despite several moves now lives back in Kings Langley, although not quite as close as she once did!
Working locally at Gregory and Davis Transport in Church Lane enables Helen to be on -call during the working day, when it sometimes is more difficult for sufficient crew to be found. Helen was keen to “find me again” after all the hard work of raising three children and wanted to do something that “gave something back.”
The great advantage of being an on-call firefighter is that it can be fitted in around lifestyle and work commitments, although some disruption is, on occasions, inevitable.
Since becoming operational, Helen has attended a variety of calls. Indeed, in her first two weeks Helen has put out a car on fire on the A41, extinguished a fire in some woodland and assisted paramedics with a casualty who had fallen from the top of a ladder, seriously injuring themselves.
If you think you too might be interested in joining Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service as an On-Call Firefighter, please visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk use the search facility.
Crew at the Fire Station were also delighted recently to receive a very large cheque from the 1st Apsley Scout Group, who decided to make the Fire Fighters Charity the beneficiary of their fundraising efforts last year. This followed several visits from the Scouts to the Fire Station, and by the Fire Engine and crew to the Scouts, during the course of the year. All the scouts were involved in a variety of fundraising initiatives that in total raised a magnificent £983.48.
0 Comments