For the fifth time in three years Red Watch at Garston Fire Station have hosted students from Francis Combe Academy to help them achieve the skills section requirement of their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award.

Fourteen students attended ten, two-hour sessions, covering a range of Fire Service skills.

The aim of the skills section is to enable teenagers to gain an understanding of the role of the Fire Service and in particular how the local fire crews interact with the community.

The young people are consulted on fire and safety issues and so are empowered to have a voice.

The ten sessions covered a range of topics including: induction and project setting, teambuilding exercises, practical fire skills, wearing breathing apparatus, extinguishing live fires and road traffic collision exercises.

The course culminated in a pass out parade attended by family, friends, and Academy staff. 

Following the parade the young people were presented with a certificate and a framed squad photograph.