Monumental occasion marks fire service’s 50th anniversary

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service was formed on April 1, 1974, following the Local Government Act in 1972; bringing together Stoke-n-Trent Fire Brigade, Burton-on-Trent Brigade and Staffordshire Brigade into a single organisation.

The service celebrated the monumental occasion with a series of events, the sharing of memories and a challenge to raise £50,000 for the Fire Fighters Charity.

Chief fire officer, Rob Barber, said: "This is a very special landmark year for the service as we look back over five decades and look forward to the next 50 years.

"We want to celebrate this milestone anniversary with our staff, former staff and the communities we so proudly serve."

The event saw firefighters new and old visit the Staffordshire Fire and Rescue headquarters at Pirehill, Stone, to celebrate the occasion, sharing stories and experiences of the fire fire service past and present.

Mr Barber continued: "During that time, the service has changed massively; in 1974 we predominately just fought fires.

Fast forward 50 years and we're an organisation that is supporting the NHS in various schemes, we're improving the employment prospects for young people with our Princes Trust courses and we're sitting at the heart of the communities we serve.

"We’re also a different organisation now; in 1974 we had no female firefighters, whereas now we have women in our most senior roles and my predecessor was the first operational female Chief Fire Officer in the country. "

The occasion also marks another major event, as protection manager, Kelvin Knapper, who marks his 50th anniversary after joining as a trainee firefighter in 1974.

Kelvin, who started his career at Burslem Fire Station, said: "We’re also much better prepared now should an incident occur and the advances in technology have ensured firefighters are much safer when responding to incidents.

"What hasn't changed is the camaraderie, skills and commitment of all the persons involved in Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service.

"It’s a fantastic organisation to work for, I wouldn’t still be here after 50 years if it wasn’t. For anyone who is after a career that is rewarding, offers variety and the opportunity to progress, I’d definitely look towards the fire and rescue service."

The event was also joined by Jeff Bereton, a 103-year-old who is potentially one of the oldest former firefighters in the UK.

Jeff shared his experiences with firefighters current and retired, and also watched as new recruits were put through their paces in the drill yard.