Bishop Auckland Watch Manager Jonner Robinson.
From dairy farming to call centres - there’s not much Watch Manager Jonner Robinson hasn’t tried his hand at.
But one thing that’s remained a constant is his devotion to serving the community with County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS).
At just 38 years old, Jonner has already spent two decades with the Service after following his childhood dream of becoming a Firefighter.
He joined as an On-Call Firefighter in Bishop Auckland in October 2004, a role which saw him give up his free time outside of his day job, to respond to emergency calls.
“I wanted to become a Firefighter from an early age,” Jonner said.
“The houses in the street where I lived in Newton Aycliffe as a child were occupied by Firefighters based at Newton Aycliffe Fire Station.
“The station itself used to be classed as ‘day manning,’ which meant that the crew would spend the day at the station and respond to incidents from their houses adjacent to the station during the night.
“It used to fascinate me when I was younger hearing the bells going from the station and then seeing the crew running down the street!”
Jonner spent 10 years as an On-Call Firefighter where he rose to the rank of Crew Manager, before becoming a Wholetime Firefighter with the Service in July 2014.
In his Wholetime role, Jonathan worked at Durham, Peterlee and Bishop Auckland Fire Stations before being promoted to Crew Manager on Bishop Auckland White Watch.
After brief spell at High Handenhold Fire Station, he returned to Bishop Auckland and was promoted to Watch Manager.
There he moved into the ‘On-Call liaison role,’ where he worked to recruit and support On-Call staff throughout the county, before returning to Bishop Auckland White Watch as Watch Manager last April.
“I am responsible for the overall safety and welfare of my Watch,” Jonner said.
“I plan, organise, and conduct training to ensure we maintain our effectiveness when responding to emergencies.
“It is my role to provide solutions to bring operational incidents to a safe resolution.
“I also engage with local businesses and members of the community to provide safety advice and information.”
The best part of the job?
“Working as part of a team,” Jonner said.
“I enjoy working with staff across the service - from the mechanics that maintain our fleet to the trainers who provide us with excellent tuition.
“Each department works closely with one another to ensure we can provide the best possible service to the communities that we live amongst.”
Outside of work, the dad-of-three enjoys spending time with his children, keeping fit in the gym and playing football.
Our On-Call Firefighters play a vital role in our Service and we are recruiting more now!
As an On-Call Firefighter you will continue to do your main job but when the call comes you will become a professional Firefighter.
You must work or live within a five-minute radius of one of our On-Call stations.
To apply, visit: https://www.ddfire.gov.uk/call-firefighters-applications-now-open
