South Tyneside firefighter praised for serving in all three emergency services and the military

Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Ryan Young works full-time at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) as a prevention and education district team member.

He carries out lessons in schools, visits vulnerable people in their homes and spreads safety messages to the community.

The 28-year-old then dedicates his spare time as a special constable at Northumbria Police and as emergency ambulance crew at St John’s Ambulance Service.

Firefighter Ryan Young has been praised for his service to all three emergency services and the military.

Ryan is also a reservist with the British Army and could be deployed to provide support to soldiers on the front line.

Steve Thomas, the head of TWFRS’s prevention and education department, has praised Ryan after he joined the service at the end of 2022.

He said: “Ryan is a fantastic asset to the Service and his dedication to his communities cannot be questioned.

“He has the compassion and empathy we look for in all employees at the fire service and his voluntary work speaks volumes for the kind of person he is.

Ryan is also a reservist with the British Army.

“We will always support our staff in undertaking these roles and hope Ryan’s story can inspire others to follow in his footsteps.”

Before joining TWFRS, Ryan worked in a number of roles at Northumbria Police, from their front desk to their community engagement team.

He has volunteered with St John’s Ambulance since 2007 and was deployed to London to support the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.

As a British Army reservist, he is based out of 103 Field Squadron in Newcastle, forming part of 71 Engineer Regiment which covers units across the UK and Northern Ireland.

In his spare time, he operates as a special constable with Northumbria Police.

Ryan commented: “I have a passion for helping people and that’s what the emergency services are all about.

“I’ve always found myself wanting to do more than just a job and volunteering in my spare time offers me the chance to do that.

“Having all this experience really does come in handy during my day job at TWFRS because it helps me look at the world a little differently and approach problems from all angles.

He was deployed to London during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations as part of his volunteering work with St John’s Ambulance.

“I’d encourage anyone to get involved as a volunteer with any of our emergency services as the work you do can be life changing even if it’s something small.”

Read South Tyneside’s news on the go with our free email newsletters - bringing the headlines to your inbox. Catch up on the day’s news and sport and enjoy even more from your Gazette. Visit our website here to find out more and sign up.