Leek Community Fire Station

19/06/2026

🥊🚒 Battle of the Badges at Festival Park 🥊🚒

One of the biggest nights of the year for SFRS, raising money for the Boparan Charitable Trust, which supports children affected by life-limiting conditions, disabilities and extreme poverty across the UK.

What an incredible evening organised by BGBA, with more than £10,000 raised for a truly worthwhile cause. A huge thank you to everyone who attended, took part and brought their families along to create such an electric atmosphere. Your support will/has make a real difference to the lives of many children and their families.

A special mention goes to FFs Jonny Whittingham and Ethan Hall, who proudly represented Leek Orange Watch on the night. Stepping into the ring takes months of hard work, discipline and no small amount of courage, and both firefighters showed exactly that as well as all the fighters who stepped into the ring. They fought with heart, determination and sportsmanship from the opening bell to the last, doing themselves, their station and the Leek community proud.

👏 Well done to both – a fantastic effort in support of an amazing cause.❤️

11/06/2026

🔥 Meet the Crew: Firefighter Isaac Dartford🔥

It's time to introduce Firefighter Isaac Dartford, another valued member of our team here at Leek Fire Station! 👨‍🚒

Service experience: 1.5 years of service as an On-Call Firefighter at Leek

🚒 Training & Qualifications
FREC (First Response Emergency Care)
BA (Breathing Apparatus)
Animal Rescue
Swift Water Rescue
Safe Working at Height
RTC (Road Traffic Collision)

Why did Isaac Join?
"I joined because of an interest in the service and wanted to make a difference."
It's a simple but powerful reason, and one shared by many of our firefighters. The commitment to helping others and serving the local community is what we value in our crew members.

Favourite Part of the Role for Isaac:
It's the people—especially his fellow firefighters on Orange Watch. The fire service is built on teamwork, trust, and friendship, and the strong bonds formed on station are often what make the role so rewarding. Whether it's training, attending incidents, or supporting each other through challenges, being part of a close-knit team is something truly special.

🎯 Career Goals:
Isaac is keen to continue progressing within the service and has his sights set on:
- Becoming a Driver
- Progressing into Incident Command (IC) in the future

🏅 Proudest Moment
Taking part in the Snowdon charity walk. Events like these showcase the determination, resilience, and team spirit that our firefighters bring both on and off duty.

About Isaac:
Day Job: Isaac works as a Landscape Gardener, a role he has been doing for nearly four years.
He's also taking on some incredible challenges this year:
🔥 Competing in the British Firefighter Challenge
🔥 Taking part in the Memorial Stair Climb in New York!

Thank you for everything you do, Isaac. Your enthusiasm, commitment, and willingness to challenge yourself make you a valued member of the Leek crew, and we look forward to seeing what you achieve next! 👏🚒🔥

04/06/2026

🔥 Meet the Crew: Firefighter Kyle Birks! 🔥

We’re excited to introduce Firefighter Kyle Birks, a dedicated and passionate member of our Leek Station crew!

Service Experience: 3 years as an On-Call Firefighter at Leek

Skills & Qualifications:
FREC (First Response Emergency Care)
BA (Breathing Apparatus)
Animal Rescue
Swift Water Rescue

Why Kyle Joined:
"I joined the fire service to challenge myself both physically and mentally while being part of a team that makes a real difference in people’s lives."
We couldn’t be prouder of Kyle and the mindset he brings to our team – dedication, courage, and a drive to make a real impact.

Favourite Part of the Role:
Kyle thrives on training and putting his skills in BA into action – effectively searching, managing developing fires, and assisting multiple casualties.

🎯 Career Goals:
Complete Safe Working at Height and Road Traffic Collision courses
Obtain an LGV license to become a driver

🏅 Proudest Moments So Far:
- Taking part in the charity walk up Snowdon. Events like these showcase the determination, resilience, and team spirit that our firefighters bring both on and off duty.
- Completing his first BA wear

About Kyle:
Day Job: Works for a campervan renovation company, part of the team for 12 years
Hobbies & Interests: Keeping fit, going to the gym, and living an active lifestyle 🏋️‍♂️

We’re lucky to have Kyle on our crew – his passion, skills, and energy make Leek Station stronger every day! 💪🔥

28/05/2026

❗ We are urging everyone to make sure they and their loved ones are aware of the dangers of water.

Tragically, 8 teenagers have lost their lives during this period of hot weather.

We desperately hope this does not happen to anyone else - we are urging everyone to make sure they and their loved ones are aware of the dangers of water.

Remember:

💧 Water is often deeper and stronger than it looks
💧There may be hidden currents
💧There may be hazards lying beneath the surface
💧 If you fall into water by accident, follow the float to live advice

Visit the link in the comments for more water safety tips ⬇️

01/05/2026

🔥The Aerial Ladder platform🔥

A specialized fire service vehicle meticulously engineered for high-rise rescue operations, aerial firefighting, and can be utilised for incident observation. This advanced apparatus features a powered telescopic boom capable of reaching an impressive height of 32 meters, complete with a rescue cage.

Currently, we have two of these platforms operational within our service areas at Longton and Burton. The platforms are equipped with state-of-the-art breathing air panels developed by Dräger, which provide essential protection for firefighters against smoke and toxic fumes during elevated operations.

Furthermore, the design of the rescue cages has been enhanced to facilitate complex rescue scenarios. Each cage can now accommodate up to five individuals, including those in wheelchairs and a notable improvement over the previous models that could only accommodate three persons at a time.

Can you spot your house in the last 2 photos !!

30/04/2026

Red Watch had a wonderful opportunity to familiarize themselves with one of the more impressive pieces of equipment utilized by Staffordshire Fire and Rescue: the Aerial Ladder Platform.

24/04/2026

🤝Sad to see you go CM Derren Taffee🤝

It is with a mixture of sadness and gratitude that we announce the retirement of Derren Taffee, who has dedicated 28 years of service to our organization. After nearly three decades of unwavering commitment and professionalism, Derren is now hanging up his kit for the final time.

Nearly 3 decades of commitment, professionalism and steady leadership to support his colleagues and community. His dedication has not gone unnoticed, and his contributions will be remembered for years to come.

We were honored to have Deputy Glynn Luznyj visit our station personally to express appreciation for Derren’s remarkable career and the significant impact he has made.

On behalf of everyone, both past and present, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your service, leadership, and the countless contributions you have made over the years.

We wish you all the very best in this new chapter of your life—you have truly earned it. 👏👏

20/04/2026

👨‍🚒We are delighted to announce a significant achievement for FF Jonny Whittingham.

🚒In recent weeks, Jonny has successfully fulfilled the role of a driver at Leek, having obtained both his LGV and EFAD licenses. This qualification qualifies him to operate Leek 1 and Leek 2 in response to incidents.

Behind every skilled driver lies a foundation of extensive training, dedicated practice, and the perseverance to overcome challenges. This new position also requires that Jonny possesses exceptional skills in pump operation, as drivers are not only tasked with transporting crews to incidents safely and efficiently, but they must also ensure that crews have access to reliable firefighting resources, establish barriers against oncoming traffic, and communicate accurate and concise updates to control regarding an incident.

Let us take a moment to commend him for his hard work and commitment to our service.

🔥Congratulations, Jonny!🔥

17/04/2026

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who participated in our recruitment drive for On-call Firefighters. The "Meet the Team" evening was a resounding success, providing valuable insights into the role of a firefighter.

We are pleased to announce that twelve dedicated individuals have submitted applications for Leek, Longnor, and Ipstones Stations.

We are incredibly optimistic about this outcome and look forward to welcoming these new recruits as they commence their training and contribute to our community.

03/04/2026

🔥Meet the Crew: FF Ethan Hall🔥

We are pleased to introduce Firefighter Ethan Hall, a dedicated member of the Leek Fire Station

👨‍🚒Service Experience:
Ethan has proudly served as an On-call Firefighter for three years, with his 4th service anniversary approaching this April.

Skills and Qualifications:
- RTC (Road Traffic Collision) response
- FREC (First Response Emergency Care)
- BA (Breathing Apparatus)
- Safe Working at Height
- Animal Rescue
- Swift Water Rescue

❤️Community Engagement:
Ethan is deeply committed to community service, participating in various charitable events such as the Firefighters Challenge, last year's Snowdon Weighted Charity Walk, open days, and community car washes. He is also gearing up for the upcoming Blue Light Stair Run at Beetham Tower in Manchester and the Blue Gloves Boxing Event in Hanley.

💼Professional Background:
In addition to his role as an On-call Firefighter, Ethan has spent the past two years working in Quality Assurance for a supplement and meal replacement company. He is also employed by the Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service as a Personal Trainer at the Leek station.

🎯Future Aspirations:
Ethan is eager to advance his career in firefighting by obtaining his LGV (Large Goods Vehicle) and EFAD (Emergency Fire Appliance Driver) licenses. He is particularly interested in honing his skills to take on the role of Incident Commander, with aspirations to become a Crew Manager. Since passing his 36 month exam he has already started assisting training with the new starters going over basic skills and sharing his knowledge.

About Ethan -
Outside of his professional commitments, Ethan is passionate about fitness and enjoys challenging himself with new goals. He is dedicated to competing in a natural bodybuilding competition scheduled for 2027 in London.

Please join us in recognizing Ethan's hard work and commitment to both the fire service and the community.