FOUR new on-call firefighters have joined the crews at fire stations across Worcestershire.

George Gibson, Kenneth Edward, Nigel Crawford and Richard Howie were officially welcomed to Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service at a pass-out parade for new on-call recruits at Droitwich Fire Station last week.

Firefighter Gibson, who works in the animal nutrition industry as a fermentation operative, growing bacteria strains, is stepping up his community involvement to become an on-call firefighter at Malvern Fire Station.

Over the past few years, he has finished his A-levels and been a regular volunteer at his local animal shelter.

“I have joined the fire service to make a difference helping other people and the community I live in, as well as to gain a sense of job satisfaction,” he said.

Group Commander George Sherry said: “Firefighter Gibson has been one of the hardest working firefighters the instructors have seen. His sheer energy levels and determination are contagious and evident when working as a team.”

The Group Commander is in charge of the training centre where, in total, seven recruits from Worcestershire and Herefordshire passed out last week.

Two more Worcestershire recruits will be stationed at Broadway and Droitwich. Three others will serve Herefordshire.

GC Sherry was also full of praise for Firefighter Edward, who is joining the Upton-upon-Severn Fire Station.

He said: “Firefighter Edward is a very conscientious individual who has shown a great team ethos throughout his recruits’ course.

“He is a very fast learner both theoretically and practically and will go on to use his newly learned skills as a fire fighter.”

Firefighter Edward, who has run his own upholstery business for the last 15 years and is a keen footballer and boxer, is achieving a childhood ambition to become a firefighter.

That aim was further cemented by the work he saw the emergency services carrying out when he was involved in a very serious car crash which left him fighting for his life.

Firefighter Crawford, who will be based at Droitwich, is following in the footsteps of his father and his grandfather, both as firefighters in London.

Firefighter Howie brings lots of life experience to his new on-call role at Broadway Fire Station as he is also a musician, a truck driver and a grounds keeper.