Nine new on-call officers have joined Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, including a recruit for Saffron Walden.

The cohort completed their two-week intensive training course in Witham and will continue their training at their home stations.

Firefighter Max Patnell, a warehouse manager, joins the Saffron Walden crew.

Max Patnell. Picture by Essex County Fire and Rescue Service

He said: “I’ve always wanted to become a firefighter. When I was at secondary school, I completed a FireBreak course, and that was when I really got a taste of what the role was about. I absolutely loved it and knew then that it was something I wanted to do in the future.

“Even though I went into a different career, becoming a firefighter always stayed in the back of my mind. When the opportunity came up, I knew it was time to finally go for it.”

More than three-quarters of fire stations in Essex are staffed by on-call firefighters. They all live or work within five minutes of the station and are paged when there is an incident.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service's new on-call firefighters. Picture by Essex County Fire and Rescue Service

On-call firefighters also carry out home fire safety visits, attend community events and visit community hubs like schools and care homes to give safety advice.

The other eight recruits are heading to Frinton, Canvey, Billericay, Shoebury, Braintree and West Mersea fire stations.

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