Sark Fire and Rescue Service – Case Study

Sark Fire & Rescue Service – Case Study

Key Summary

Customer name: Sark Fire & Rescue Service

Location: Sark, Channel Islands

Business sector: Emergency service

Order details: 18 sets of 650 Structural Firefighter Kit

Business requirements: Comfortable, protective firefighter kit for volunteer crews responding to emergency incidents, with compliance to the latest regulations.

 

Overview

Founded in 1958, Sark Fire & Rescue is a volunteer-run emergency service operating on the island of Sark in the Channel Islands.

The service has an 18-strong team on standby 24/7, 365 days a year, protecting the island’s 500 residents and 50,000 annual visitors.

Responding to a wide range of emergency scenarios—from wildfires to complex search and rescue operations—the service was looking to replace its structural firefighter kit to ensure the team remained safe and compliant with current industry standards.

 

Challenge

A major challenge for Sark, as a volunteer service, is budget. The emergency service operates on an annual budget of around £11,000, covering all operations.

 

The existing firefighter kit had become tired and worn—some of it over 20 years old and much of it previously handed down from a Guernsey team. Sark’s biggest concern was the risk of contamination or damage within the old kit.

 

With increasingly stringent fire regulations, the service has a responsibility to remain compliant. In the event of an accident involving non-compliant kit, significant insurance issues could arise.

 

Another challenge is the diversity of Sark’s volunteer crew. Members range from age 24 to 67, including two women and individuals of widely varying heights and builds.

 

“We’ve got 16 men and two women currently in the fire service. Of those, the youngest is 24 years old, and the eldest is 67. We’ve got a guy who is 6 ft 10, and we’ve got shorter members of the team too! Everyone needs to be protected and compliant with regulations. Age and size don’t matter. FlamePro understand what we need, and the kit is comfortable and a lovely fit.”
– Kevin Adams, Chief Fire Officer, Sark Fire & Rescue

Solution

FlamePro donated 18 sets of its 650 Structural Firefighter Kit—one for each member of Sark’s volunteer team.

The new kit is fresh, comfortable, and properly fitted, meeting all the regulations Sark must abide by as a fire service.

It gives Sark’s team peace of mind that its crews are protected and safe when responding to incidents.

 

“FlamePro has worked really hard to understand what we need, how we operate, and some of the challenges we face as a volunteer service. We know we’re pretty unique here on Sark – there aren’t too many services around like us! We’ve built a strong relationship with FlamePro and their team, we get on really well, and having them in close contact is really useful for us.”

– Kevin Adams

 

FlamePro provides fire crews working in even the most remote and challenging landscapes with the kit they need to handle any situation.

Results

With FlamePro’s help, each member of Sark’s team is wearing a comfortable kit that is fitted and right for them.

 

This enables Sark to continue providing a valuable, life-saving service on the Channel Island.

 

Sark’s teams respond to a wide variety of situations. The majority of callouts are not domestic fires or building fires—they are more commonly outdoor, rural incidents like wildfires and cliff fires.

 

As a result, Sark is exploring the option of adding FlamePro’s dedicated wildland kit to its lineup of gear in the future.

 

“FlamePro has always been more than happy to help us, and has supported us a great deal over the years. Communication is excellent, I know I can just send someone a WhatsApp message and they’ll reply really quickly. As a volunteer, who juggles multiple other jobs, that’s invaluable for me.”
– Kevin Adams

Sark Fire & Rescue may be unique—and, in Kevin’s words, “a little bit quirky”—in its approach, operating fire tractors rather than fire engines due to the challenging terrain on the island. But as a fire and rescue service, it is just as important as anywhere in the world.