Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) yesterday celebrated the graduation of 33 On-Call Firefighters during a ceremony at the Learning & Development College in Cookstown.

The graduation marks the completion of weeks of intensive training, where recruits developed the essential skills and technical knowledge required to respond to emergency incidents. These new firefighters will now take up positions at 17 different stations, providing vital emergency cover for towns, villages, and rural areas.

The 33 graduates will be stationed at the following locations: Armagh, Ballyclare, Ballynahinch, Carnlough, Castlederg, Crescent Link, Crumlin, Dromore (Down), Kilrea, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Newcastle, Newtownards, Rathfriland, Strabane, and Whitehead. During the ceremony, special recognition was given to those who demonstrated exceptional performance throughout the course. Florian Charier was named Top Trainee, with Stuart Johnston receiving the runner-up award. Both were commended for their teamwork and high standards of dedication.

NIFRS Western Area Commander, David Doherty, praised the commitment of the new recruits, noting the challenge of balancing fire service training with other professional and personal responsibilities.

David Doherty said: "Congratulations to all of our new recruits on this fantastic achievement. They've all worked incredibly hard to get here, on top of balancing many other commitments. Throughout the training course, they've all shown great determination and developed essential skills and knowledge that will set them up for success while attending calls.

"Being an On-Call Firefighter is not easy, but it is incredibly rewarding. This new cohort will be there for their own local communities in their greatest time of need. Well done to all 33 graduates – I wish you the very best of luck on this journey."

The event also served as an opportunity to thank the NIFRS instructors whose professional guidance was instrumental in preparing the recruits for their new roles serving the public across Northern Ireland.