Children and Young people are fully welcomed at fire station open days across the county in order to maintain their links with their local service.
Our firefighters and support staff work in partnership to ensure, that every Year 2 pupil across the County receives an educational intervention, explaining the dangers of fire.
For over a decade Barnfield College Public Services students have had the unique opportunity to complete a work experience placement on station with our crews. This has enabled students to gain basic operational knowledge, team building skills and partake in a full passing out parade, attended by family and friends. Many of our past students have gone on to join the Service in a full time firefighting role.
Retained Firefighters have dedicated many hours to managing a Cadet Young Firefighter Scheme across the county, particularly at our rural fire stations. Young people that have joined the cadet scheme in the past have an improved knowlege of the Service that we provide, given time to local community initiatives and worked on their own skills through local and national challenges and competitions.
Out latest commitment to Youth Development in partnership with The Princes Trust, the Youth Offending Service's, local YMCA's and NACRO, have led to our Service having a positive input particularly upon the lives of the most vulnerable and 'at risk' young people in the community.
NACRO (The Crime Reduction Charity)
Since early 2006 Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service (BLFRS) has supported the work of NACRO. The nationwide charity works across Bedfordshire, engaging young people in a range of positve activities, such as it's sports diversionary projects. Based on the success of Parkside, Houghton Regis Football Tournament, BLFRS has increased the number of football events where firefighters take on the role of five-a-side mangers, whilst offering fire safety advice to the teams, and surrounding spectators accross the County.
For more information on the work of NACRO please visit www.nacro.org.uk.