THE crew manager of Cricklade Fire Station was rewarded for his dedication to Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service at a ceremony, earlier this month.

Brian Frances was presented with a Good Conduct medal by members of Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service at the services headquarters in Potterne on Tuesday, June 2.

It was given to Brian who started working at Cricklade Fire Station 20 years ago and other firefighters by Royal Warrant on behalf of HM the Queen for “exemplary fire service”.

A delighted Brian, 50, said that he enjoyed his time with the fire service and that none of it would have been possible without the support and understanding of his family, especially his wife Mandi.

Brian, who has shaved his head for 20 years since starting the job at the fire station, said: “Without her I wouldn’t have the courage to go for the job and stick with it this long.

He explained she often helps him relax after difficult shifts at work.

“A lot of the time we go out at all hours of the night. Sometimes we have a little bit of a debrief after work,” he said.

Brian rose to the rank of leading firefighter at Cricklade Fire Station a few years after starting working there.

It was this experience with Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service that led him to explore the possibility of a career as a wholetime firefighter, which happened in 2002 when he joined the Ministry of Defence at RAF Fairford.

Brian has been involved with many varied incidents over the years, ranging from the larger fires and Road Traffic accidents to rescuing a cat from a tree.

He said that he found road traffic accidents the most challenging and he often bumps into familiar faces when attending these incidents.

He said:“The chance of coming across people you know are quite high. There has been a number of occasions when you come across friends, which is quite nice when you can help them.”