Warwickshire News Mine

19 students receiving their awards from Area Manager David Vazquez and County Councillor Richard Hobbs, the portfolio holder for the Fire and Rescue Service, in front of parents, teachers and friends.

The FIREBREAK programme, the 40th and 41st to be hosted by WF&RS, was targeted at students, aged between 14 and 16 years old.  The course, run over ten weeks, runs in tandem with the students’ school curriculum in order to minimise disruption.

Firebreak is a course run by Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service and offers an opportunity to young people to experience an alternative learning environment in which they can develop their existing skills and qualities.

The course tested the participants’ commitment and their skills in a range of activities including; orienteering, abseiling, fire safety drills, driver training, team building.

FIREBREAK is a successful youth education programme run by Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Youth Development Department.

Activities were team-based and required students to undergo a number of activities such as abseiling, parade marching, problem solving and team work.  Fundamental fire service principles and skills of leadership, teamwork and communication came to the fore with levels of self-confidence and self-discipline improving.

Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for Community Protection, Cllr Richard Hobbs, an advocate of the course, said:  “FIREBREAK takes place at a critical point for the young people.  If they are having some personal problems, FIREBREAK can provide a positive outcome rather than run the risk of the young people being excluded from school and not be in education, training or employment after they have finished their statutory schooling.”

Case study 1:  Reece Hadley, 15

Reece Hadley of Hartshill School was one of those passing out.  By his own admission, when he joined the FIREBRTEAK course, Reece was ready to learn about self-discipline and improve his team building skills.  Now he is looking at becoming a mechanic although would favour a career in the fire service.  He enthuses about all he got from the ten week course.

“I enjoyed everything about it; the puzzle solving, driving a truck, making friends.  My discipline’s improved as well.”

This was endorsed by his older sister Christina who watched proudly said:  “He’s improved a lot.  His temper is better and he listens.  You can talk to him.”

Case study 2:  Laura Smedley, 15

Girls were also on the course and Laura Smedley of Alderman Smith School has come away from it with the ambition of becoming a firefighter.  Laura joined FIREBREAK to try and help her overcome concentration problems and to boost her self-esteem and confidence.  According to her mother, Melanie, she achieved this.

“Even ten weeks ago, Laura was scared to answer because she was scared to get it wrong.  Now she’ll have a go as she is trying to get it right and can cope with being wrong.”

The result has seen a calmer Laura, of whom stepdad Malcolm is “proud as punch”.  She says she knows the exact moment when she wanted to become a firefighter.  It was during the assault course when she had been crawling in mud, climbing ladders, going through swamps.

“That was it,” she says.  “That was the point when I knew I wanted to be a firefighter.”

The lead instructor

Paul Ingham, youth development officer and lead instructor for FIREBREAK said:  “These were a great bunch; the whole group was fantastic.  All we do at FIREBREAK is give young people an opportunity to develop the skills and qualities they already have and to give them direction for their future.”

Of Reece, Paul said:  “Reece was a good all rounder who was absolutely committed to the course.”

Of Laura, he said:  “Laura was brilliant.  There is nothing she can’t do and she has started to put her mind to the future.”

Link to WCC