Moulton College students with burning ambition get taste of life as a firefighter

White Watch crews put youngsters through their paces
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Would-be firefighters from Moulton College joined White Watch crews from Moulton, Mereway and The Mounts to get a taste of life as a firefighter.

Around 40 Uniformed Public Services course students took part in job-related tests that form part of the application process such as running out hoses, moving ‘casualties’ and carrying equipment.

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They also got to experience the ‘smoke house’ — albeit with only a small amount of smoke — where crews practice search techniques.

Students from Moulton College are put through their paces by firefightersStudents from Moulton College are put through their paces by firefighters
Students from Moulton College are put through their paces by firefighters

Wearing firefighter protective clothing and breathing apparatus, they were paired up and had to find their way around a dark building using communication and teamwork to locate a casualty and safely exit the property.

College lecturer Helen Russell, who organised the day with watch commander Aaron Childs, said: “I was really impressed by the students’ engagement in the activities.

"The Uniformed Public Services course aims to provide the perfect stepping-stone to adjust to life working within the public service sector, learning practical and theoretical skills to improve employability.

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“Aaron and the crews gave a real insight into the vital work the fire service does to keep the county safe and the day certainly sparked interest from a number of students.”

Crews also gave students a tour of fire appliances and answered questions about careers in the service.

Moulton Station Commander, Tom Hodson said: “We were delighted to host the firefighter experience day and we are looking forward to working more closely with the college going forward.

“Working in the fire service is a great career.

"It’s not just about putting out fires. We attend a wide range of incidents, including floods, animal rescues, road traffic collisions as well as providing support to other emergency services.

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"And a large part of the firefighter’s role is carrying out community engagement work to prevent incidents from occurring in the first place.

“I’m really pleased to hear that we helped to focus some of the students’ minds on the fire service as a career and we’re always happy to talk more about the role with interested people.”

Fire stations around the county will be holding ‘have a go’ days for all ahead of an autumn recruitment drive. Anyone interested can follow @northantsfire on Twitter or keep an eye on the service website.