A firefighter has retired 31 years after getting a role in the fire service after spotting a job advert in a copy of The Northern Echo.
John Trowell's first interest in joining the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service started when he saw a recruitment advert in an edition of the newspaper - and he has never looked back.
Before his time in the fire service, he was working as a sports assistant for Sedgefield Borough Council aged 25 when he found the opportunity that would go on to change the course of his life.
John joined the fire service in January 1993.
At first, he was first stationed at Newton Aycliffe Red Watch and it was there that he experienced the two biggest incidents of his career.
He was among the first crews at the scene of a huge fire at Burtree Caravans in County Durham and a 21-vehicle crash on A1M near Bradbury Interchange – all within his first year of becoming a firefighter.
“It was just by chance that I ended up joining the Service,” John, 56, said.
“I saw an advert in the paper looking for Firefighters and I thought, ‘I could do that.’
“I fancied a career change and I thought it would be a job for life.”
John, who grew up in Ferryhill, then spent nine years at Darlington on Blue and White Watches, where he said he had some of the happiest times of his career.
And it was while based at Darlington station that John proposed to his wife, Louise, by abseiling down the Eiffel Tower in Paris wearing full fire kit for TV show ‘All You Need Is Love.’
John was promoted to crew manager at Bishop Auckland and then spent 12 years as a Watch Manager at Bishop Auckland.
In his time at the station, he worked on Green, Red and Blue Watches.
During his career, John received two commendations for rescuing an elderly man from a house fire in Darlington and attending a severe car crash in Spennymoor.
“The best part of the job has been helping people,” John said.
“I have loved the camaraderie of the crews and working with like-minded people.
“I will miss the job and the people that I have worked with the most.
“I will also miss serving the community.”
In 2018, John took on the role of national operational guidance officer based at Headquarters, and then became assistant district manager for Easington.
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He has also worked as an RDS Support Officer and has been the Lead Cadet Coordinator at Bishop Auckland.
In September 2021, John took on his current role, Station Manager - Equipment and Stores Officer.
“I have really enjoyed the job because I have a great team,” he said.
As he retires, the Newcastle United fan is looking forward to spending more time with wife, Louise, and sons, Oliver, 22, and Joseph, 19.
The family plan to enjoy a holiday in Portugal in June and in September will spend three weeks travelling around Australia.
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