Day of celebration marks 50 years of fire service

More than 100 members of the Retired Fire Fighters Network gathered at our headquarters to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The event, on Tuesday (9 April), was opened by Lord-Lieutenant, Mr Ian Dudson and Chief Fire Officer, Rob Barber.

Guests got the chance to quiz senior officers and then listen to talks from a local historian, a representative from The Fire Fighters Charity and a fire officer who talked about the latest developments in technology and equipment.

There was also an opportunity to see these latest advancements; from state-of-the-art cutting equipment to thermal imaging cameras, drones and the newest appliances and personal protection gear.

Memorabilia, equipment and photos from over the past 50 years were also on display for guests to view and reminisce over.

Chief Fire Officer, Rob Barber, said: “As old friends swapped stories of days gone by there was a palpable sense of pride in the room. Each anecdote shared painted a vivid picture of the resilience, teamwork and unwavering dedication each individual gave to the service. Despite the passage of time, the core principles of teamwork, courage and service remain as relevant as ever.

“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. Let the celebrations continue.”

Guests at the event included 103-year-old Jeff Brereton, a former firefighter who spent his whole firefighting career at Staffordshire, and Protect Manager Kelvin Knapper, who will be celebrating 50 years of service in the summer.

Former firefighters who made up the cohort of new trainees in 1974 also came along to the event and got together to recreate a ‘class-of-74’ photo.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service is celebrating 50 years since the organisation first came together.

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

The service will be celebrating with a series of events, sharing of memories and a challenge to raise £50,000 for The Fire Fighters Charity over the next 12 months.