A WEYMOUTH councillor has been honoured by the fire service for outstanding commitment over 39 years as an officer and a member.

Pete Barrow joined the then Dorset Fire Brigade in November 1978 as a firefighter, retiring on medical grounds as a Station Manager in April 1999.

He then re-joined the Service in December 2002 as a corporate member of staff, working in a number of roles including Fire Control, Health & Safety, and equipment management.

When he retired in March 2017, he was head of assets for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service.

In May 2019, he was elected to Dorset Council and became a member of the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority, where he has served ever since.

At a ceremony on 18 April, he was presented with a Making A Difference award in recognition of his outstanding commitment, dedication and contribution to Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service and Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority, on completion of over 39 years of service as both an Officer and a Member.

Cllr Pete Barrow said: "It was really nice to receive the award.

 I joined the fire service when I was 18 and I have been involved almost my entire adult life.

"I am not standing again as a councillor and so my 39-year involvement is now coming to an end.

"It was a very nice ceremony and lovely to be recognised.

"It has been a massive part of my life and it is a big step to be retiring, I am going to miss all of the great people I have worked with over the years."

Chief Fire Officer Ben Ansell said: “We have a Service to be proud of, and the awards ceremony is one way in which we celebrate the dedication of staff from across the organisation. 

He added: “As well as honouring the achievements of our staff, it is always an opportunity to give personal thanks to the families and friends who have supported them and the work of our Service. We also recognise the on-call employers who are so essential to us being able to provide our emergency response. It is often this support that has enabled the quite outstanding achievements to take place.”