Third generation of family joins Seascale station

George Steele became the family’s third generation of On-Call Firefighters when he joined the crew in July this year, following in the footsteps of father Terry, who joined in 1991 and continues to serve, and grandfather Chris, who was part of the team from 1978 to 2002.

“It was the natural progression for me,” said George, part of the most recent cohort of On-Call Firefighters recruited by Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service this summer. 

“I had grown up in a fire service family and joining the crew was all I ever wanted to do. I love it.”

The family’s connection with the village station began in 1978 when Chris was invited to join the crew.

He said: “I lived in Seascale and had a business in the village and was asked by a friend Harry Twentyman [the then Station Sub-Officer] if I’d like to join the crew. 

“There wasn’t a lot more to it back then in terms of recruitment; I went along on drill night and was signed up right there and then, and trained on the job.

“That’s how most people joined at that time; you asked people you knew from your community or other businesspeople in the village to become a Firefighter, and that builds the sense of community spirit that we still have today.”

In the 1980s and 1990s, when Chris and son Terry were on the crew together, the nature of call-outs were very different than today, with chip pan and chimney fires commonplace. The crew’s protective kit and firefighting equipment were basic at that time, added Terry, which is a far cry from today’s service.

“Our kit, equipment and technology have advanced so much in my time on the crew. We have twice as much gear as we did when I started, which is reflective of modernisation of the role and the changing nature of call-outs we get.
“The number of incidents is reduced too, which is down to the volume of education and prevention work that’s delivered by crews in their communities.

“Also very different is the alert system we have. Now we have a pager each which goes off and we respond, but when I first started there was an old loud bell in our house, wired to the phone line, which went off and woke the whole house when we had a ‘shout’. The siren on top of the tower at the station went off too so the whole village knew when there was an incident!”

But as much as things have changed at Seascale and across Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service during the Steele family’s four decades-plus, there is agreement among the family and the whole crew that the sense of community spirit and camaraderie is as strong as ever.

Chris said: “You do it to put something back into your community; to be there for your friends, neighbours when they might need you the most.”

Terry added: “You also get a real community atmosphere on an On-Call station; over the years we’ve had numerous parties, rummage sales, fundraisers, car washes here – it’s an extension of the family in many ways.”

Another team member Andrew Woodburn used joining the crew 10 years ago as a way to meet new people in the village. He said: “I relocated to Seascale from Millom for work and didn’t know anyone, so I sought out the opportunity to join as a way of integrating myself into the community.”

The current crew at Seascale have a range of day jobs, from being Sellafield workers, to farmers to being self-employed or full-time Firefighters on other stations, with the Steeles all working for their family landscaping business Perfectly Planted.

“There isn’t a typical On-Call Firefighter,” said Watch Manager John Whitham. “Whatever your profession, gender, age, background, if you want to be part of a team, learn lifesaving skills and serve your community - and you live or work close enough to the station that you can respond quickly in an emergency - then come along to our drill night (Mondays 7pm to 9pm) and have a chat with us and see if it is for you.”

A spokesperson for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service’s Recruitment Team added: “If you’re thinking of becoming an On-Call Firefighter, you will initially need to be at least 18 years old, live within five miles of one of our stations, and have a full UK driving license. 

“If you meet this criteria, it’s a brilliant start, and you can submit a registration form and a member of our dedicated team will be in touch. If your availability matches what the station needs, you will be invited to take part in our assessment stages and need to be passed as fit at medical, and then you can get excited for the training course. 

“A key part of being an On-Call Firefighter is ensuring you have employer consent to release you for shout-outs, and also have the support of loved ones to help protect your community. On-Call Firefighters gain fantastic skills, including Incident Command, licences, and first aid, and you get an annual retainer and hourly salary.”

Seascale Fire Station is holding an open day on Saturday, November 9 (10am to 1pm) during which the community is invited to find about more about the role of a Firefighter and take a tour of the station and view the appliance and equipment. Recruitment information will also be available.

** For more information about applying to join Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service at one of its 36 On-Call stations, click here.