Signing in the Service

Two firefighters from Margate have been trained in sign language so that they can communicate safety messages to children at a local deaf school.

Margate Watch Manager Joe Rolfe and Firefighter Chris Mettam have been trained to a basic level of signing so that they can make contact with pupils at the town’s Royal School for the Deaf.

Station Manager Mick Smith said: “These children really enjoy the interaction with the firefighters and have learnt a great deal about not only our job but safety issues too. By tailoring our approach to Community Fire Safety in this way we are able to offer practical help and advice to a section of the community that is sometimes hard to reach.”

He added “We have offered home fire safety checks to pupils parents who live in Kent and have referred those who live outside the county to other CFS teams. It also allows a group of people in the deaf and signing community who may have in the past have found it difficult to communicate with firefighters to deal with us in confidence.”