Firefighters from Northamptonshire have been commended for going above and beyond the call of duty for their work in helping to keep people safe across the county.
The annual Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service awards ceremony took place on Friday (November 14) and recognised heroic work and long service from firefighters and fire staff.
Chief Fire Officer Nikki Watson presented five commendations to those whose efforts helped to save and preserve life, including to one member of the public.
Youth Engagement Officer Ed Harvey (above), who works in the Service’s Prevention team, was recognised for his work in safeguarding a young person.
Ed delivers educational sessions to young people across the county, and following a session on safeguarding, a person who had taken part in the course was comfortable enough to raise concerns with Ed that a friend of theirs may have been exploited by a person in a position of trust.
Ed’s delicate handling of this disclosure then led to the young person themselves coming forward to him with more information about the perpetrator – who has since been convicted – and which allowed Ed to lobby for safeguarding measures to be put in place to support the young people affected.
Green Watch at Fire Control and Moulton Fire Station (above) were commended for their response and handling of a road traffic collision on the Moulton industrial estate, where the crew successfully fought against the clock to rescue a trapped woman from a burning car.
The efforts of the on-call crew at Raunds (below) were recognised for their work in pulling an unresponsive man out of the water and administering CPR on the water banks prior to the arrival of paramedics.
Chief Fire Officer Nikki Watson then presented an individual commendation to Deb Ashmore (below), who joined the Service in 1996 and served at Corby for her entire career, where she was also instrumental in raising funds for various charities prior to her recent retirement.
Member of the public Matt Welsh (below) was also commended for leaping into action during a flat fire in Rushden, where he scaled a wall and fence to put a fire out in a flat – using a fire extinguisher he had purchased for a campervan just 20 minutes earlier.
The ceremony also gave the Service an opportunity to commemorate work that goes on behind-the-scenes.
Kettering Blue Watch were presented with the Hilmi Say Community Award, which is given to crews who carry out vital work in their community. The crew were praised for the quality of their Home Fire Safety Visits, as well as conducting checks on fly-tipping and Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) to find any safety issues.
The award is named after firefighter Hilmi Say, who sadly passed away in 2024, and whose wife Victoria presented the crew with their award (pictured below).
Burton Latimer (pictured below) were awarded ‘Best On-Call Station’ for the regularity in which the on-call firefighters make themselves available to be on duty, and for their excellent community work. This includes a partnership with a local food bank to support vulnerable members of the community, allowing them to give safety advice to those who attend and would be difficult to reach.
Ian Walpole (below) was winner of the first ever Fire Staff member of the year award, which pays tribute to the work done by non-operational staff. Ian is a fire investigator and trains the Service’s fire dogs to help him find out where and how fires initially started.
And Jess Cooke (below), who works in the Training team, was the recipient of the inaugural Culture Award, awarded to those who uphold the highest standards and contribute towards a positive workplace culture.
Assistant Chief Fire Office Phil Pells (below) was awarded with a 30-year long service pin, as were recently retired firefighters Lee Mayes and Stuart Oliver – while Crew Managers David Seymour and Nicholas Goddard were awarded Long Service and Good Conduct medals for their 20 years of service.
Reflecting on the ceremony, Chief Fire Officer Nikki Watson said: “This is my second awards ceremony, and I have once again been so impressed with the level of professionalism and dedication that I have seen from our firefighters and fire staff.
“Every day they deal with someone having one of the worst days of their lives, and it is clear through their work that we have a Service which people have trust and have confidence in.
“We want to provide exceptional fire and rescue services for all our residents, and it is only right that we pay tribute to those who have gone above and beyond their duty to keep our communities safe.”
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone also attended the ceremony.
She added: “The Fire Service has a unique presence in our local neighbourhoods, and I continue to be amazed at the work they do to keep people safe.
“It was a privilege to be able to attend the ceremony to recognise that work, and I really value the contribution they have all made to the safety of people in this county, whatever their role.”
