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Firefighters and civilians alike who put their lives at risk to save others were praised for their selfless acts at an awards ceremony held in Shropshire.

Three binmen who rescued an elderly couple from a burning car were  honoured alongside firefighters, some who braved terrorist bomb attacks in the 1980s and also fought the largest fire in UK peacetime during a 30 year career with Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Chief Fire Officer John Redmond said: “I want to more

 

The longest serving current firefighter in the UK is to retire from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service after a record 48 year career.

Roger Smith (70), a former mayor of Market Drayton, has been fighting fires since 1967 and “hangs up his helmet” at a final drill session at Market Drayton fire station.

North Shropshire holds the record for firefighters with long service. Alfred Thompson, from Whitchurch, goes down in history as the longest serving UK firefighter of all more

 

The number of women firefighters joining Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service is “slowly growing” with successful taster sessions being held across the county.

Over the Bank Holiday weekend, six women toured Craven Arms Fire Station where they met women firefighters, watched a ladder drill and learned about the role of on call firefighters serving at 23 county fire stations.

Out of 500 firefighters at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, 20 are women, with more waiting to more

 

A company which has actively backed Shropshire’s on call firefighters for the past 25 years has been praised for its support.

Chief Fire Officer John Redmond said Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service relied on businesses such as Ludlow’s DMS Plastics which allowed employees, who are also trained firefighters, to “drop tools” at a moment’s notice to respond to 999 calls.

The firm in Lingen Road, Ludlow, currently has one of its 25 staff , employed as an on call more

An ongoing campaign to encourage more Shropshire women to become part time professional firefighters launches again on Saturday, May 2, with a taster day at Craven Arms fire station.

A similar session held at Craven Arms last year resulted in mother of two Kat Frost (29), enrolling and successfully completing 12 months of training to join firefighting colleagues who turn out at a moment’s notice to respond to 999 calls in the area.

“It’s been an amazing 12 months from when I more

Firefighters say people should always call the fire and rescue service if there is a strong smell of burning which is unaccounted for.

John Davies, Watch Manager at Oswestry Fire Station, gave the warning after smouldering electrical wires caught fire under floorboards at a Shropshire phone shop.

Two fire appliances attended the incident at the Get Connected mobile phone shop in Willow Street, Oswestry, after they were called following reports of a burning smell.

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Shropshire firefighters showed off their animal rescue skills live on BBC television this morning.

BBC Breakfast presenter Sian Lloyd was with the animal rescue team based at Wellington Fire Station, where the cameras were rolling today.

She reported how the demands for the animal rescue team, formed a few years ago, were growing from farmers and horseriders whose animals get into difficulty.

Other fire services across the UK were now also setting up similar animal more

The man who has led Ludlow’s firefighters for the past 20 years is stepping down after a 38 year firefighting career.

John Taylor (63) is retiring as Watch Manager at Ludlow Fire Station where he has been in charge of 18 of the town’s firefighters’.

But John, of Charlton Rise, Ludlow, will still be continuing his family painting and decorating business which his grandson Michael has just joined.

With an average 200 emergency calls a year, John reckons he has turned out more

An appeal has gone out for more “on call” firefighters across Shropshire but they are especially needed in both Prees and Newport. Anyone interested can turn up at the second of two recruitment events being held at Newport Fire Station, Salters Lane, on Saturday, March 28 from 10am to 1pm.

There are a total of 15 firefighters who cover the Newport area but they need more with six recently retiring or moving away.

While there are are 11 firefighters in Prees but “we can take 16 more

Fire prevention experts are urging people to encourage their friends, family and neighbours to fit smoke alarms as part of an Easter fire safety campaign.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Friends and Family Campaign begins on Good Friday and will run for two weeks. It is aimed at encouraging more householders to fit smoke alarms and will urge people to persuade their friends and family members to do the same.

“Spreading the word among family and friends about the importance more

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