• Joined the Service in 1990
• Station Manager (Watch Based) at Slough and Langley Fire Station

As part of our Wholetime Firefighter Apprentice recruitment campaign, we’re asking some of our current staff for their experience of the job.

We will be featuring some of our newer recruits, as well as those who have worked in the fire and rescue service for many years.

Mark Jones joined Pangbourne Fire Station in 1990 as an on-call firefighter before becoming a wholetime firefighter in 2000. We asked Mark a few questions about his career as a firefighter so far.

What first inspired you to become a firefighter?

Believe it or not, this was genuinely a childhood dream. As far back as I can remember I was always very interested in the fire service and wanting to part of a well-established team.

What was your best memory of your training course?

Without doubt, my greatest memory at training school was coming together with the most amazing talented people, with whom many I am still friends with today. In addition, the knowledge and skills that were afforded to me have assisted me throughout my career.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

There are many aspects of my role that I enjoy. I think integrating with all departments within the Service has enabled me to learn so much more and also meet some very talented people within the organisation. In addition to this, meeting members of our community and ensuring their safety, is a very satisfying achievement.

Any words of advice for someone considering applying to be a firefighter with us? I would strongly encourage anyone considering applying to be a firefighter to do it straight away. The role is incredibly rewarding in many ways and the development opportunities are endless. The fire service has evolved so much over the past 30 years of my career and certainly that passion to continually develop its staff is a fundamental vision for RBFRS.