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There are two kinds of firefighter. One is a full-time or ‘whole-time’ firefighter, and the other is a part-time or ‘retained’ firefighter.

The retained firefighter is normally found in the villages and the countryside. They have everyday jobs, perhaps a teacher, a farmer or a secretary but they carry an ‘alerter’ that looks like a mobile phone. When there is a call for help the ‘alerter’ tells them they are needed. They stop their normal work and rush to their local fire station to crew the fire engine. To help them in their Fire Service work all the retained firefighters must practice once a week in the evening at their local fire station.

The wholetime firefighter is usually found in the towns and cities. This firefighter has only one job and that is firefighting. On a station there are four ‘watches’ or teams of firefighters known as Red Watch, Blue watch, Black Watch and White Watch. Each firefighter will belong to one of these watches and will work with them as part of the team.

After a great deal of training, all firefighters will become ‘qualified’. This means they are experienced at firefighting, helping at accidents and helping people in their local community to stay safe. It also means they can drive a fire engine, use all the ladders properly and wear the breathing apparatus that all firefighters have to wear when they fight a fire. A qualified firefighter might also be in charge of a fire engine, a Watch or even a fire station.

Today a Fire Brigade is known as a ‘Fire and Rescue Service’. Firefighters do not just put fires out. Firefighters help with car accidents, plane crashes or train crashes. At any time of the day or night, whatever the trouble, firefighters will be there to help anyone.

In Gloucestershire we have fire engines and fireboats. One fireboat is at Gloucester Fire Station and the other at Tewkesbury Fire Station. These fireboats help rescue people and animals that may find themselves in trouble on the River Severn. Many times sheep and cattle go to the riverbank to drink and find themselves stuck fast in the mud and firefighters will help free them using the boats.

Every day can be different. As a firefighter you may be asked to go to a fire, an accident or perhaps go to a school to teach everyone how to stay safe. Anyone can be a firefighter, young men and young women. You will be sent to a special school where they teach you all about being a firefighter.

After 12 twelve weeks you will return to your fire station and join a watch, perhaps red or blue? This team will then look after you and help you become experienced and qualified. Every firefighter is treated the same. Every Chief Fire Officer was once a firefighter at a fire station and any firefighter may become a senior officer.

“Retained firefighters have everyday jobs such as teacher, farmer or secretary... when there is a call for help the 'alerter' tells them they are needed”

A retained firefighter is called to help someone by his 'alerter'

“Firefighters will be there to help anyone”

Firefighters at the stations

Using the boats for a rescue

Rescuing a lady from floods

Helping a cow that was stuck in a swimming pool

What is the most pleasing thing about being a firefighter? Well, it doesn’t matter what you might have done at work that day, going to a fire, going to an accident or teaching people how to stay safe, whatever it might have been, it’s always a nice feeling to have helped others keep safe and well.

"It's always a nice feeling to have helped others keep safe and well"