Northumberland wildfire training team wins national award

The wildfire training team won the training provider of the year accolade at the Excellence in Fire and Emergency Awards.

The team, recognising that wildfires have been growing in numbers and intensity in recent years, have utilised their skills and expertise to help address wildfire learning needs by producing an online e-learning package.

In addition, physical training courses have been delivered to staff from across the UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Germany, and Denmark.

Also, in conjunction with the Home Office, the team designed and developed a specialist wildfire officer course for delivery to the Civil Protection Organisation in Saudi Arabia, a first of its kind for the UK.

More locally the team have managed all training to NFRS personnel and have developed and delivered regional exercises.

The team consists of only one full time member of staff, who is supported by a small number of part time team members.

Rob Stacey, leader, said: “It has been an immense privilege to win this award. As wildfires become increasingly common, we have a duty to continue to develop as fire and rescue services to be best prepared to tackle them.

“Northumberland is unique in the sense that much of our county comprises of woodlands, dunes, moors, and fields – prime locations for wildfires to take hold. However, as other counties have seen in recent years, wildfires have the potential to encroach on urban-rural boundaries and we’ve been able to work with other services to help them tackle them in the future.”