Top firefighters to receive accolades

The cream of Staffordshire Fire Service is set to be revealed at a special ceremony next month. Firefighter of the year is one of the titles up for grabs along with awards for community work, working with young people and the safest driver.

The finals take place at a More From Your Fire and Rescue Service awards ceremony at Keele Hall on March 11. Members of the public have put forward nominations for the Fire and Rescue Service Professional of the Year. Three nominees will battle it out for the title on the night.

Alan Morgan based at Kidsgrove, the Green Watches at Longton and Hanley and Tracey Cresswell of the Stoke Risk Reduction.

Nominees in the nine remaining categories have been put forward by colleagues.

They include Sharron Finch, Lichfield, for best service to the public and Lev Dubil, Codsall, working with young people.

David Vincent, Stone, Ian Housley, HQ, and Phil McFarlane, Lichfield, are nominated in the good leadership section.

In the safe driver award Brian Cox, South Staffordshire Area Command, is one of the nominees while contribution to the team includes Alan Smith, HQ, and Carole Barratt, Central Risk Reduction.

Marilyn Ricks, Lichfield Area Command, and Rita Ryan, Rugeley, are both listed in the fire service professionalism category.

The nominations have been shortlisted by a panel and the winners will be decided by the Chief Fire Officer and chief executive, Alan Doig.

Mr Doig said: "This is the first staff awards evening we've held in this way.

"The response has been fantastic.

"The competition is of a very high standard so the difficulty now will be to choose a winner in each category."

He added: "This awards ceremony will also recognise those members of the public who have put their own lives at risk or greatly assisted at incidents.

"These are people that have shown immense bravery and selflessness and we look forward to giving them the recognition that they deserve," Mr Doig said.