More than 20 new trainee firefighters have joined Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service. 

The 12 new wholetime trainee firefighters and 11 new on-call trainee firefighters were welcomed at the service's joint police and fire training centre in Ripley, east Derbyshire. 

The latest wholetime trainees have begun their 15-week programme, while the on-call trainees have started an eight-week blended (weekdays and weekends) programme.

It has not been confirmed at this stage whereabouts in the county the firefighters will be covering once they have completed their training - and whether any will be working in the High Peak. 

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Rob Taylor said: “A firefighters training course is the first step in a rewarding career serving the communities of Derbyshire. The next few weeks will prepare our trainees for the type of incidents that they will face when responding to emergencies across the county.

“All of the trainees joining us have their own reasons for wanting to become a firefighter. A common theme is the pride they feel in knowing they will serve their community, responding to incidents when our communities are most in need and working to prevent emergencies from happening.

"They will all learn new skills that will prepare them for this work, and I look forward to following their journey through training over the coming weeks and their careers as they progress in the future.” 

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