CLEVELAND Fire Brigade is looking for volunteers to sign up as retained firefighters.

People can join the ranks of telephone engineers, window framers and others with assorted jobs who have added the extra duties and received full firefighter training.

Sam Jones, a UPVC windows and doors manufacturer, is a retained firefighter based at Redcar.

He said: “It is a really cool job and all my friends are really interested in what I do. When I was at school I was told I had dyslexia but I was determined it would not hold me back. Being a Retained Firefighter makes me proud and shows what you can do. Its always been my passion to be a firefighter and this is great way to put something back into the community.

“It is a really good job and there is plenty of variety, everything from rubbish fires and fire alarms to road traffic accidents. I am sure the role also is a benefit to my employers, I have new skills and the company now has a qualified first aider.”

Ian Hayton, the brigade's chief fire officer, said: “Retained Firefighters make a valuable contribution in helping protect the community and it is hugely appreciated that they are prepared to give up some of their valuable spare time to perform these duties.”

To find out more and how to apply to being a retained firefighter in Cleveland visit www.clevelandfire.gov.uk/retained/