Kirkby Stephen firefighters mark 40 years serving their community

Ian Clarke and Paul Jackson have been on-call firefighters in Kirkby Stephen for 40 years

Firefighting runs through the veins of Paul Jackson and Ian Clarke.

The pair, who are both on-call, have served their community for 40 years, and it has become a real family affair.

They started at Kirkby Stephen's station on the same day, following in the footsteps of their own fathers.

But for Ian, 63, who runs a farm just outside of the town, it runs far deeper.

He remembers being taken to the station as a child by his late father Robert, but he never got to serve alongside him.

However, he did get to serve at the same time as two of his cousins and his uncle.

"When someone shouted 'Clarke', you wouldn't know who they meant," he laughed.

And although being his own boss meant it was easier for him to drop everything and respond to incidents when the alerters went off, his cows and sheep still needed to be looked after at the end of a rescue.

He said: "I wouldn't have been able to do it without my wife's support. Most jobs are maybe a couple of hours and you can catch-up, it's when you get the long ones."

As well as being a matter of pride, there are other benefits to being part of the crew for Ian.

"[Being a farmer] I'm by myself most of the time, I never see anybody, so it's about working with the team."

'My worst nightmare'

Ian and Paul recently received medals in recognition of their 40 years' service.

Paul, who is now a watch manager, said: "I always knew what people used to think of my dad being in the fire service - to me it's about giving something back to the community, it's just a great feeling."

His dedication has inspired his eldest son, who is preparing to start his basic training as a firefighter in London, where he lives.

"When we go out, everybody knows you're in the fire service and it's in the back of their minds if something goes on," Paul added.

He said he responded to a call out for a woman who had had a stroke, who told him: "This is my worst nightmare, seeing you come in to get me out of my bedroom."

Paul is also a milkman and very well known in the town, and ambulance crews told him the patient became less apprehensive once she had seen his familiar face.

Ian Clarke and Paul Jackson received medals to mark their milestone anniversary with the fire service

Firefighters are often called to assist the ambulance service with getting patients out of their homes, and it is one of the many ways firefighting has changed over the years.

Paul, who turns 70 this year, said because of Kirkby Stephen's location the team often responds to crashes on the A66 and M6.

"It's been getting worse over the years because of speed. We had one week where there were seven fatalities, all from different incidents."

He said team debriefs help firefighters get through difficult rescues.

"You have got to accept it, it never lingers, if it's finished, it's gone," he added.

A number of open evenings are being held across Cumbria to recruit on-call firefighters, and anyone interested in joining Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service can find out more online.