Say ‘Hello’ to Mark!
Mark is a trainer and fire ground support operative at 3t’s County Durham emergency response training facility – a joint venture with Vital Fire Solutions (VFS), the trading arm of County Durham and Darlington Fire & Rescue Service.
Born in Jarrow, 56-year-old Mark now lives in South Shields with his partner Denise and their 12-year-old son, Rylan.
Mark has been a lifelong firefighter, working for Durham Fire Service as a ‘Watch Manager’ before eventually retiring from his position in 2022.
But retirement didn’t suit ‘go-getter’ Mark.
“There’s only so many saunas, steam rooms and shopping at the Metrocentre you can do,” he said. “I really missed my work colleagues and the routine of getting up for work early in the morning, so when asked to come on board as an instructor at VFS’s training centre in Bowburn, I jumped at the chance.
“As well as training firefighters, I am involved in teaching OPITO-approved emergency response courses for 3t, and really enjoy my role.
“Having been a firefighter for many years, I have an in-depth knowledge of how fire behaves including issues like backdrafts and backflashes, which gives me invaluable understanding to develop the skills in others to manage emergency response.
“I love the training environment. I’m a real people person so it’s very rewarding to meet new people every day and help grow their confidence and skills so they can effortlessly step into an offshore emergency response role. There’s a deep camaraderie amongst the training team and delegates at VFS and this creates a wonderful, comfortable environment in which to learn.” 3t has emergency response training centres in Newcastle, Aberdeen and now County Durham.