Hertfordshire firefighter hangs up his helmet after 50 years of service

Kevin Horwood, who became a firefighter in 1974 at the age of 18, will retire from the service on 31 December 2024 having dedicated his entire professional career to saving lives and working with young people to keep them safe.

It’s been a challenging, but rewarding career for Kevin and has always been varied; from tackling relentless fires in fields and hedgerows during the very hot summer of 1976 to being ‘front and centre’ of Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service’s community partnership initiatives to engage with young people about safety risks.

Kevin’s very first call-out, from Bovingdon Fire Station where he was originally based, involved attending an ‘RTA’ (or Road Traffic Accident as they were previously called) in which the trapped driver of a car tragically lost his life despite every effort to save him. Kevin said he knew right then that there were going to be many more tough moments ahead, but that he would “just have to get on with it” in order to do the job.

He recalls so many changes in the service over the years since the 1970s from the types of uniforms and vehicles used to fight fires to the expanding role of working proactively with communities to prevent fires from happening in the first place. The last fire he attended operationally, before switching roles in 2006 to become a Community Safety Advisor, was Buncefield in December 2005 – it was the biggest blaze in Europe since the Second World War and one of the most notable incidents for him personally and professionally.

Colleagues have described Kevin as being an integral part of the Fire Prevention team. Youth Engagement Manager, Coral Jobson, said: “Kevin is an all-round decent and hard-working guy. We know from feedback he has received that the safety messages he has delivered to young people via community initiatives such as ‘Crucial Crew’* have helped to save lives years down the line. He’s going to be greatly missed.”

When asked what advice he would give to his younger self and to anyone considering joining the fire service, Kevin said: “It’s a career where you learn a lot very quickly, where you meet some incredible people and the friendships you make are second to none.”

He added: “I will miss working with my colleagues, but I won’t miss them as friends because they will stay as friends.”

During his time with Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service Kevin, who with his partner has four children and four grandchildren, received the ‘Long Service and Good Conduct’ medal after 25 years’ service as well as the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals. He plans to enjoy his retirement by travelling around Europe in his motor home, spending time with his family and his hobby of restoring old MG motor cars.

Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service Chief Fire Officer, Alex Woodman, said: “On behalf of the whole service, I would like to say a big thank you to Kevin for the enormous commitment and dedication he has shown to our local communities over five decades.

“Working with young people to equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to help keep themselves safe now and in the future is an incredibly important part of our role. Kevin has not only saved countless lives during his career as a firefighter, but will undoubtedly save many more in the years to come thanks to his vital safety and fire prevention work.”

When asked what the proudest moment of his career has been, Kevin replied: “Serving the communities of Hertfordshire for 50 years.”

About Hertfordshire County Council

“We are Hertfordshire County Council. We are responsible for delivering hundreds of services to the 1.2million people who live in the county.

“When our residents pay their council tax, they trust us to keep them safe at home and out in the community, to act with care and compassion, and to make Hertfordshire a great place to live and work, where everyone feels welcome.

“We support Hertfordshire residents from the earliest moments right through to the late stages of life.

“To find out more about all the services we provide and what we deliver for our residents visit: www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/weare“