Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to have a career where I made a difference to people’s lives. I’m lucky that I have the chance to do that.
I have worked in the emergency services in various roles since 2013. Previously serving in a police force in another county, initially as a Special Constable (SC) and progressing into working in Police Control as a dispatcher. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the police. However, with a young family, I felt I needed a change.
I was fortunate to secure a position in a fire control based in a metropolitan brigade which allowed me to experience a wide range of incidents. Taking my first real fire survival guidance call really opened my eyes to the role and how varied it could be. Instantly, I knew this was what I needed to do. I relished the challenges that working in a busy fire service brought to my day-to-day work. I even joined my local fire station as an on-call firefighter!
Having worked with someone who had previously worked for Warwickshire and had returned, I was informed of a role at Warwickshire Fire and Rescue that would allow me to advance my career within the fire service. Having managed people and resources in the Police, I felt that it was the right time to take a step up. I was fortunate enough to secure the Crew Manager role here and I haven’t looked back since.
I have worked through periods of high activity, through high temperature periods where resources were stretched to the limit and through large scale incidents such as the large fire in Leamington a few years ago. Incidentally, that was the end of my second week at Warwickshire, a real introduction to my new role!
We are a relatively small team here, compared to other brigades, but we all work well together. The county brings its own unique challenges which can lead to some intense pressure. But knowing that your colleagues have your back really makes a difference.
Some people will see us as a glorified call centre, but we are so much more than that. Without us, there would be no fire engines at incidents. We are here 24/7 to deal with all calls that come through.
Never be afraid to ring us, if you’re concerned about something always pick up the phone. We would much rather send an appliance to assess a situation than not at all!