Appledore Fire Station is pleased to announce the delivery of a new fire appliance. The handover will officially take place on Saturday 13 March, when Watch Manager Tony Cole will receive the keys from Area Manager Mike Holme.
This will be followed by Torridge District Councillor Andrew Eastman presenting an employer’s recognition plaque to Mr Andy Hamilton, Director of Babcock Marine.
Bideford Area Fire Safety Officer Colin Mills said: “We are presenting this plaque to Andy Hamilton to thank Babcock Marine for their outstanding commitment over four decades in allowing their employees to respond to emergency calls in the Appledore area. Thanks to Babcock Marine’s willingness to support their employees’ dual role, the community of Appledore has had emergency cover throughout the day for many years. Undoubtedly lives have been saved and Babcock Marine’s support has made Appledore a much safer place to live”.
After the presentation there will be two short drills from the crew. The fire education appliance will also be present on the day for inspection.
Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service is currently interested in recruiting retained firefighters in North Devon. Retained firefighters are not based at a fire station waiting for the alarm but will be on standby as they go about their everyday lives. When the call comes, they will drop whatever they are doing and become part of the firefighting team. The training they receive is exactly the same as their station based colleagues. Recruits can come from any walk of life and there is a particular need in rural areas such as North Devon.
What kind of person are we looking for?
• At least 18 years old
• Physically fit
• Living and working close to the fire station ( within 7 minutes)
• Common sense
• Commitment
• Enthusiasm
• Patience and understanding
• Team worker
However, you may be surprised at the broad range of recruits the fire service relies on. You could come from any walk of life - so please do not be put off by any preconceived ideas you may have - you could be just what fire stations in North Devon are looking for!
 The rewards:
• Full  training and the opportunity to learn new skills
• Basic annual payment (a retainer) and fees for emergency response
• Fees for training sessions and for duties like equipment maintenance
• Respect from your local community
• Personal satisfaction from helping your local community
• Social life

-Ends-
Notes:
Handover of the new appliance and the presentation to Babcock Marine will take place on Saturday 13 March at Appledore Fire Station between 1pm-3pm.
For more information please contact Lindsay Mears on 01392 872296 or email lmears@dsfire.gov.uk
14,000 firefighters make up the retained fire service in England and Wales. Retained firefighters generally work in rural areas, small towns and villages.
Businesses can benefit by having a professionally trained employee who can deal with emergencies and provide first aid. They can even be on hand to save lives and business property. For more information on becoming a retained firefighter please phone 01392 872346/331 or visit www.dsfire.gov.uk