Bala school children team up with the fire service

Jul 17 2008 By David Simister

BOYS and girls from one Bala school showed they were hot stuff when they were dispatched for a week of firefighting last week.

The youngsters, from Ysgol Berwyn, were sent to Anglesey’s Menai Bridge Fire Station alongside other students from across the region for five days of work experience with North Wales Fire Service.

"I really feel that I have learnt a lot from the course. We've learnt all about fire safety, and found out that there are specific jobs in the fire safety department promoting staying safe in the home. I definitely hope to join the Service in a few years" said pupil Simon Jones.

Along with going back to the classroom to learn about the fire service, the students practiced with ladders, hose and other equipment typically found on a fire appliance, as well as learning about malicious calls in the service’s control room.

The week ended with a celebratory parade at the station last Friday [July 11] attended by school representative, parent and friends, when each of the 13 students being presented with a certificate by Geraint Hughes, County Operations Manager.

All of the budding firefighters who took part were aged between 14 and 17 years old. Other schools which took part in the week included Caernarfon’s Ysgol Syr Huw, Conwy’s Ysgol Aberconwy, Menai Bridge’s Ysgol David Hughes, Llanrug’s Ysgol Brynrefail and Bangor’s Coleg Menai.