Joe Rodwell-Grant was in attendance for the Lancashire Fire Rescue’s ‘Have A Go’ firefighter day at Preston College last weekend.
The first year professional spent time at the taster event, which is designed to allow young people from all backgrounds to discover more about career opportunities in the fire service.
A number of activities were taking place that demonstrated the skills and attributes required for young people to join the fire service, which included a bleep test, equipment carry and a dummy drag.
Rodwell-Grant took part in several of the activities on offer, including speed challenges around getting dressed into a firefighter’s kit and rolling out a length of hose, skills which are particularly key for firefighters in an emergency situation.
The 18-year-old also took part in the dummy drag challenge, which tests a person’s upper and lower body strength by simulating dragging a casualty backwards from a fire.
Joe said: “I’ve come to the Have A Go event at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, which has been a good experience.
“There is extreme bravery involved and I’ve been doing some activities and the staff have shown me what they would do in the cause of a fire. It’s a different experience that I’ve had to see what it’s like in the life of the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service.”
A spokesperson for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service added: “We’d like to thank Joe for taking time out to visit our Have a Go Day at Preston College.
“These events are running every weekend up until the end of the month and they have been arranged to show people who may not normally consider a career in the fire service, what a varied, rewarding and challenging career it can be.”
For more information about the Have a Go Days in across Lancashire, please visit www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk/have-a-go/