FROM responding to fires across Essex to helping to assist with search and rescue operations across the globe, Tom Jewell has seen it all.
The temporary crew manager for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service’s Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR) has seen his career flourish… and it all began with an apprenticeship scheme.
The popularity of apprenticeships is ever-growing, allowing recruits to get paid and learn on the job, alongside typical accompanying study.
Tom, who is now based in Colchester, has shared his experience of completing the firefighter apprenticeship, which paved the way for his thriving career at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service.
Tom was part of the first cohort to go through the Level 3 Operational Firefighting Apprenticeship in 2019.
The apprenticeship runs alongside operational firefighting training, focusing on a variety of skills from learning about specialist equipment, to safe working practices to treating casualties.
The course prepares firefighters for all possible scenarios.
Reflecting on the course, Tom highlighted the flexibility and support it offered him.
He said: “The apprenticeship allowed me to work at my own pace using the tools that I know I work best with.
“Having a mentor to guide and assess my work really helped, I was supported throughout and could turn to them with any issues I had.”
Tom added the part he enjoyed the most was practising the skills he had learned in the training.
Discussing the challenges faced, Tom recognised the initial struggle to balance workload and applying learnt skills to real incidents.
However, with the unwavering support of his watch, challenges were dealt with smoothly, and he successfully completed the apprenticeship.
“The apprenticeship has given me the ability to process information and turn it into manageable and structured learning,” Tom said.
Since then, his career at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service has taken off.
Moving from a full-time firefighter at Chelmsford to a USAR technician, he is now the temporary Crew Manager for USAR based in Colchester.
During his time at USAR, he joined the UK International Search and Rescue Team (UKISAR), a voluntary role that requires him to be on standby to respond to major disasters worldwide.
He was deployed to Morocco in 2023 following a 6.8 magnitude earthquake alongside a team of 60 UKISAR firefighters.
The earthquake was thought to have killed nearly 3,000 people, with nearly 5,000 others injured.
The UKISAR team was completely self-sufficient and provide its own food, water, shelter, sanitation, communications, and all necessary equipment to undertake search and rescue operations for up to 14 days.
This was to ensure no additional burden was placed upon the country already suffering demands on its resources following the sudden onset disaster.
All UKISAR staff are trained to use specialist kits and the equipment being taken will ensure the team has the ability and capacity to lift, cut, and remove concrete and rubble from collapsed structures.
As Tom looks back on his journey, he has encouraged new apprentices to enjoy the training, build strong relationships with their teams, and tap into the vast experience of other firefighters who have years of knowledge from attending incidents.
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