Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service's dedicated Post Fire Support Team have been shortlisted for the highly contested Guardian Public Service Awards under the citizenship and volunteering category.

A spokesperson told FIRE that the service could not function without the endless enthusiasm and efforts of the volunteers - "regardless of the time of day or night. Their commitment is reflected in their actions and positive attitude at every incident they attend. The volunteers commit to attending the incident within 90 minutes, this involves jumping into their vehicle as soon as the pager goes off. The support and pride from their families isn't underestimated either, as they wouldn't be able to volunteer without it."

Post Fire Support Team (PFST) is a 24-hour post incident clean up service run entirely by the service's volunteers. The Post Fire Support Team was launched in 2010 following the concerns of firefighters having to leave householders after minor fires. They attend minor domestic incidents to support individuals involved in fires, give safety advice, clean the affected area, remove excess water and ensure that the occupants are able to continue to use the area safely. They could spend anything up to two hours at the individual's home - which is more than an employee could justify.

Quotes from occupants who have been visited by the Post Fire Support team have included: "Excellent work - glad someone is out there to help" and "the team have been very professional". The most commonly heard feedback is: "I don't know what we would have done without you".

The award ceremony will take place on Tuesday 22nd November 2011at the Intercontinental Hotel Park Lane, London.

For more information visit: visit www.cheshirefire.gov.uk 

 

Posted October 10th, 2011 at 0955 by Andrew. Comment by emailing: andrew.lynch@pavpub.com