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Our history

Honouring the past, serving the future

We have a rich history dating back to 1902. The Service has changed a lot since then, but the desire to serve our community remains.

St Helier Fire Brigade (1902 to 1950)

The St Helier Fire Brigade was inaugurated on 1 January 1902 and originally consisted of a Chief Officer, Captain Howard Eady, a second officer, foreman and 12 firemen who were all volunteers. Up to that time there had been, as far as parish records go, no official firefighting body in the town although for many years a garrison of troops was based in the Island who would assist at civil fires if requested to do so.

Initially, St Helier Fire Brigade was housed at the Town Hall and remained there until after the First World War. Captain Eady served as Chief Officer until 1915 when he was succeeded by Adolphus Gale, who remained in charge until 1924, being then succeeded by Joseph Remphrey. Long overdue relocation came about in 1923 when the equipment room at the Town Hall was required for other purposes and the brigade moved to what had been the Town Arsenal in Nelson Street.

After Jersey became occupied by German forces in July 1940, control of the Fire Brigade passed from the Parish of St Helier to the States of Jersey under the Emergency Powers Act, involving the formation of two small sub-sections (St Aubin and Gorey) which were disbanded again in 1945.

As 1950 approached, it was time for Chief Officer Joseph Remphry BEM to retire after 47 years’ service.

States of Jersey Fire Service (1950 to 2000)

After the war, a spate of serious fires led to further reorganisation and in 1950 a new Chief Officer was recruited from the Salford Fire Brigade, Mr Frank Edmonston. Under the new name of the States of Jersey Fire Service, Two ‘Watches’ were formed, ‘A’ and ‘B’ watch and the firemen worked a 60 hour week. Over the coming years many changes ensued, including the moving of the service to its present location in Rouge Bouillon in 1954.

The year 1960 brought with it a requirement to engage in inshore sea rescue, and a 16ft fully inflatable rescue craft was purchased. It could be towed by an off-road vehicle to any launching site across the island and proved an extremely quick and effective method of rescuing people in trouble at sea. It saved 35 people during its first year of operation.

In 1971, a reassessment of manpower resulted in the introduction of control room staff employed to deal with incoming emergency calls.

After strong recommendations by HM Inspectors of Fire Services and Chief Fire Officer Bill Mahoney, a western sub-station was opened at Route des Quennevais, St Brelade in 1977. This not only provided more effective fire cover for the western parishes, but also increased the strength of the firefighting resources of the Island.

In 1984, the watch system of RED, WHITE and BLUE was enhanced by a four-watch system and a GREEN Watch was formed. This further reduced the working week from 48 hours to 42 hours.

A Bronto-Skylift 28m Aerial Ladder Platform was purchased to replace the hydraulic platform in 1991, and 1994 saw an expansion of the service's cliff rescue capability with the introduction of new equipment, procedures and training.

In 1999, the service employed its first female firefighter, Faith Egre, who transferred across from Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue. She was promoted to Crew Commander in 2006 and in 2008 transferred to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.

States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service (2000-present)

In the year 2000, the service's wider rescue role was reflected in a name change to the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service.

In 2004, the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service introduced many changes as part of the new Integrated Risk Management Planning methodology. This included a greater emphasis on prevention of fires and other emergencies through community safety initiatives such as home fire safety visits.

Mark James joined the Service as Chief Fire Officer in 2007 transferring from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service. This was the first UK CFO appointment since 1950. CFO James served the Island as CFO, and later Head of Emergency Planning for 11 years, and was awarded the Queens Fire Service Medal in 2016 for distinguished service.

In 2011, the States passed the Fire and Rescue Service (Jersey) Law 2011, which replaced the Fire Service (Jersey) Law 1959. The new law expanded the role of the Fire and Rescue Service to include a duty to respond to a wide range of other emergencies and humanitarian services. It also expanded the powers of a firefighter to support the wider operational duties. It further provides a duty to promote community fire safety in Jersey and expands the ability to charge for non-emergency services.

The role of the firefighter in Jersey has developed and grown since 1902, but the desire to provide a professional and dedicated service to the island is as strong, if not stronger, than it has ever been.

2025 - Our 75th Anniversary Year

2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the Island's fire and rescue service as we know it today.

It was in 1950 that the States took over responsibility from the Parish of St Helier.

This year, we will be celebrating our ongoing commitment to protecting Islanders and preventing incidents and saving lives throughout the year.

Further details of how we will mark the occasion will be shared throughout the year, and highlights will be shared on our News pages and on social media.

We hope you join us in marking this landmark anniversary.