Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 05/07/2010 09:55

Roger Willey, Station Manager at Mullion Community Fire Station, attended an emotional final drill night on Thursday 1 July as he retires from the Fire Service after 40 years of dedicated service.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service Chief Fire Officer Des Tidbury, Cornwall Council cabinet member for community safety and neighbourhoods Lance Kennedy and local Cornwall Councillor for Mullion Carolyn Rule will be there on the night to present Roger with a special award to celebrate Roger’s remarkable career and to thank him for his outstanding service to Cornwall.

Des said: “I can’t emphasise enough how special Roger’s achievement of serving Cornwall for over forty years really is. We all owe him a massive debt of thanks for his dedication, hard work, and commitment”.

Roger joined Cornwall Fire Brigade as a Retained Firefighter on 8 January 1970. Since then he has worked his way up through the ranks and was promoted to Leading Firefighter in 1981 and then Sub Officer in 1992.

In 1991 he was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal followed by his Cornwall Council 25 year Long Service Medal in 1995.

With the introduction of the co-responder scheme, which sees specially trained firefighters offering a first response service for medial emergencies, Roger was one of the first to be trained in these life saving skills. He passed his Advanced First Aid Training course in 1999 and has worked tirelessly to promote the scheme in the Mullion community.

In May 2000, Roger’s level of cover was increased to full and he was promoted to Station Manager in November 2003.

Cornwall Councillor for Mullion Carolyn Rule said: “Roger has and continues to serve his local community in so many ways. For many years he has been involved in the surf life saving club and has trained hundreds of local youngsters in beach and sea safety. He is also a parish councillor and steward and judge for Mullion horticultural society. The contribution he makes to his local area is outstanding – long may he continue.”

Cornwall Council cabinet member for community safety Lance Kennedy said: “Roger’s community safety work and especially his work to promote Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service’s home fire safety checks which sees firefighters advising residents on how to keep safe in their own homes, has been exemplary and very well received, especially by elderly residents.”