City's volunteer fire station seeks more members

One of the only operational volunteer fire brigades in the UK said it was seeking more volunteers.

Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade (PVFB) responded to 400 incidents last year as part of its work to support Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue.

The charity currently has 10 on-call volunteer firefighters who also have full-time jobs, including a mechanic, an IT manager and a carpenter.

Anthony Gould, the PVFB's chief fire officer, said to become a volunteer firefighter was "not an easy process", but added: "If someone really wants to do something to give back to community - this is the best one."

"As an on-call firefighter, you'll provide vital cover for your local area and respond to incidents when alerted.

"It's a rewarding way to learn new skills, challenge yourself, and make a real difference in your community," Gould added.

The crew was based at a fire station on Bourges Boulevard, Peterborough - which was built by the team in the 1990s - and responded to incidents across the city, Cambridgeshire and Fenland.

The charity relied on fundraising events to finance the station, but it also received support from Cambridgeshire Fire Service who provided the fire engine and uniforms to the crew.

"We do reasonably well with our fundraising and have events like the open day, and our annual Santa sleigh, but I still think we can do more," he said.

"Our utilities are huge and to run the station building is not cheap. We are in the process of installing solar panels and these fundraisers are crucial."

Gould, who has served on the team for the past 14 years, said the process of becoming a firefighter with the volunteer station was not quick but it was a worthy cause.

"It's not like volunteering at a charity shop. It's quite a big process and commitment," he said.

"The interested candidate will need to undergo a fitness test, three written tests and a medical examination.

"Once they have done all that, they might be offered a training course that runs over 12 weeks," he added.

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