BEXLEY: Fire cadets course gets under way (From News Shopper)

BEXLEY: Fire cadets course gets under way

1:39pm Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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A GROUP of teenagers has signed up to become the borough’s first fire cadets.

In a scheme funded by the London Fire Brigade and Bexley Council the community fire cadets will be based at Erith fire station in Erith Road, Belvedere.

Aged between 14 and 18, they will meet one night a week over the next 18 months for fire related activities.

The aim of the cadets is to boost the confidence of the young people, improve their citizenship skills and increase awareness of fire safety.

They will also be encouraged to become fire safety ambassadors within their communities teaching other young people about the consequences of actions such as making hoax 999 calls or deliberately starting fires.

Cadets will also learn about healthy lifestyles, how to handle money and about how to apply for a job, as well as fire skills which will earn them a BTEC qualification.

Nine boys and seven girls have enrolled as the first cadet intake, one of only three cadet courses in London.

Borough fire commander Cyril O’Brien said he was delighted a course was up and running in Bexley.