Brigade's call to housewives

Joanne Williams has completed a 15 month assessment

Staffordshire Fire Service is targeting housewives in its latest recruitment drive.

The brigade has a shortage of part-time firefighters and wants to recruit more women but says changes in the hours people work has made the task more difficult.

It has identified housewives as the ideal target and is offering women who want to become firefighters, training which fits in with their other responsibilities.

Station commander Gary Beckett said part-time firefighters are particularly needed during the day.

'Safe community'

"We are trying desperately to recruit women into the fire service," he said.

"Housewives fit the bill because the kids are at school during the daytime, so they can ride the fire engine, put something back into the community, and then once the kids come back from school book off call.

I used to work in nursing homes and things, and it was the same day in day out, but with this you never know what you're doing day to day Joanne Williams

"It means the kids are happy, mum's happy and the community's safe."

Mother of four Joanne Williams has just completed her 15 month assessment as a part-time firefighter.

The 31-year-old, from Wombourne, Staffordshire, said: "My alerter goes and I have to just drop everything and go.

"Doesn't matter what I'm doing, I could be shopping up the shops or taking the kids to school, having a bath, shower, anything and I've just got to go."

She added she cannot imagine doing anything else: "I wanted to make something of my life.

"I used to work in nursing homes and things, and it was the same day in day out, but with this you never know what you're doing day to day. It's different.

"I always doubted myself and I always thought no, I can't do that, but I wouldn't do anything else now."