After 20 years as a carpet and vinyl fitter, there’s not many houses in Crook that Stuart Proud hasn’t worked in.
But he had no idea just how useful that knowledge would be when he became an on-call firefighter with County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS).
The 36-year-old, who is based at Crook Fire Station on Peases Way, said it has meant that he often knows the layout of many of the homes and businesses in the town which has proven to be invaluable when attending fires and incidents.
“My job as a carpet fitter has worked in my favour when it comes to my on-call role as I have been in every house type in the area,” he said.
“I know the streets inside out. I know where most houses and businesses are located and been inside because I have worked in them.
“It has been really useful in this role to have that local knowledge when attending incidents.”
Stuart joined the service three years ago and is on-call for around 43 hours a week alongside running his business, Stuart Proud Flooring Services.
In that time, he has attended a variety of incidents ranging from house fires to road traffic collisions, as well as carrying out community safety work such as school talks and fitting smoke alarms.
Stuart also attends a weekly drill night at Crook Fire Station to ensure he keeps his skills sharp.
“I always wanted to be a firefighter because it is both a practical and physical job where no two days are the same,” Stuart said.
“I wanted to join to help people in the community where I live and give something back.
“Crook is a busy station and you can get multiple call outs each week.
“When your alerter goes off, you never know what you’re running into.
“I like knowing that if someone is having a bad time that I can be there for them and try to help.
“The people I work with are fantastic and we all rely on each other.
“I have made some friends for life.
“My friends and family are also really proud of me as it is a well-respected job.”
CDDFRS is recruiting on-call firefighters at Crook Fire Station and Stuart urged anyone interested in the paid role to apply.
“I would urge anyone thinking of becoming an on-call firefighter to go for it,” he said.
“Especially those who are self-employed and want the chance to do another career.
“It is so rewarding. I love to learn and develop new skills and every day is a chance to make a difference.
“You will never know what you are capable of until you try.”
The paid job is open to residents aged 17 years and six months who must be able to attend the station within five minutes.
Applicants must be able to commit to a minimum number of hours per week, ranging from 40 to 120, and attend weekly drill nights at the fire station to practice their skills.
They will be paid a retaining fee every six months which is based on the number of hours they have been available to respond to incidents.
They also receive an hourly rate of pay for attending incidents and carrying out activities such as hydrant inspections and community safety work.
For more information about on-call firefighter pay, click here.
To apply, click here.
Caption: Crook on-call firefighter Stuart Proud.
