Back office staff do a 'vital' job

With all the emphasis on the government’s spending cuts not affecting ‘frontline services’, a chief fire officer has taken time out to praise the role of back office staff.

Chief officer of Shropshire Fire and Rescue, Paul Raymond, told a passing out parade of retained firefighters that they would not be able to save people from house fires and rescue victims in trapped cars without the work of those behind the scenes.

Addressing his comments in response to one critic who had accused the fire service of employing people with “silly names” who do “none jobs”, Mr Raymond said:

“There is no back office and no none jobs. People do a vital job here and we all work together and need each other.”

He praised staff who worked to support firefighters who saved a woman’s life when she was trapped in her burning Shrewsbury home this summer. They ranged from those who kept fire hydrants working, to the mechanics who serviced fire appliances and equipment, and the admin staff who bought kit and equipment.

“Without all the people working behind them, they would not have been able to do that job,” said Mr Raymond, as the latest 18 new recruits finished their basic training at the county’s fire training school in Telford.

He also paid tribute to the two firefighters who went into the burning house. "They used all their training to make it upstairs and save the woman. They felt the fear but did it anyway and they will be given a Chief Officers’ commendation in October.”

The fire chief also praised county farmers, a publican, a milk machine manufacturer and an international supplier of medical and rescue equipment, who were the latest employers allow their staff to attend emergencies as retained firefighter recruits.