Public Services students put through their fitness paces with St Albans Fire crew

Our Public Services students got a hands-on taste for life as a firefighter after a testing day being put through their paces by the team at St Albans Fire Station.

The group of Level 3 students spent the day with the station’s White Watch crew to experience fitness testing, use specialist equipment and uniforms, experience secure ladder climbs and the on-site smokehouse to test themselves out against the standards required to consider moving into a career in the fire service.

Once kitted out with the appropriate safety gear the students got the opportunity to use specialist cutters to free each other from scrap cars –  giving them a unique insight into not only how to handle and free people safely but first-hand experience of the sights and sounds experienced inside the vehicle as the crew work on the car.  

The day’s activities were deliberately delivered at recruitment standard – so the students got a real flavour of the benchmark required both in term of physical fitness and skills required in the day-to-day role.

The session was organised as a thank you to the students for their input and support in the station’s ‘Crucial Crew’ event which took place earlier this year. The students helped man an event for the Hertfordshire initiative, which engages and educates Year 6 children at school on importance safety messages and encourages citizenship and model behaviour.

After the first round of bleep tests the students were joined by Hertfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd, who dropped into the session as part of his District Day, a monthly event visiting each of the county’s ten districts meeting police and community organisations.

Commissioner David Lloyd said: “I was delighted to attend this event, because we all have a part to play in keeping Hertfordshire safe and I congratulate the students’ enthusiasm.

It was a brilliant opportunity for them to gain a solid and valuable experience of what it is like to work for the Herts Fire and Rescue Service. Whether any of those who took part decide to join the fire service or not – they have had a hands–on experience and a better appreciation of the role the emergency services like Herts Fire and Rescue play in our county.”

Public Services and Sport tutor Ian Morrison said: “It’s not every day you get to be cut out of a car, or have to sprint with the weight of heavy hoses in hand. By no means have these students had a light, fun day – everything they have undertaken today is exactly what a new recruit would face joining the service.

“For some, the fire service may be a chosen career path but so many elements of Public Services requires the same skills, fitness and skillset. Many thanks to the team for providing the first-hand experience which will give our students a head start on what may be a chosen career in the future.”