Three generations of firefighters: over 73 years of service

Teamwork and protecting our communities are at the heart of everything we do at Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS), and this has been epitomised by the Jones family from Newcastle Emlyn.

Three generations of the family - Gareth, Emyr and Cian - have each served as firefighters at Newcastle Emlyn Fire Station, with a combined current total of over 73 years of service and dedication – and counting.

Gareth Jones joined MAWWFRS (known then as Dyfed Fire Brigade) in 1975, his son, Emyr Jones, then joined as an On-Call firefighter in 1996 and most recently, Emyr’s son and Gareth’s grandson, Cian Jones, joined as an On-Call firefighter in June 2023 – one week after his 18th birthday.

Not only has Cian followed in his father’s and grandfather's footsteps, but he has also inherited his grandfather’s previous Service number.

Gareth is the eldest member of the family and spent 45 years working for MAWWFRS through its different iterations.

Gareth was 25 years old when he joined the Service as On-Call firefighter in 1975, he had friends who were already working as firefighters and the fire station was recruiting for more, so he applied. During his career, Gareth spent 19 years as Newcastle Emlyn Fire Station’s Watch Manager, before moving on to work within the Service’s Community Safety Team. Gareth was responsible for initiating the Service’s school outreach programme and oversaw the introduction of the Service’s Fire Safety Education Programme, to deliver fire safety information and guidance to schools within the Service area.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Emyr joined as an On-Call firefighter at Newcastle Emlyn Fire Station in 1996, before becoming a wholetime firefighter in 1999. Emyr went on to spend over 10 years as Watch Manager at Newcastle Emlyn Fire Station and is about to mark 28 years of service.

After spending over 24 years as a wholetime firefighter, Emyr is currently on secondment at Service Headquarters, where he is developing and delivering marauding terrorist attack awareness training to all operational crews, as well as providing operational cover in the Ceredigion area.

Emyr says that supporting and protecting the local community and teamwork are the best things about being a firefighter.

During Gareth’s and Emyr’s careers, they saw the formation of MAWWFRS in 1996, following a merger of Dyfed, Powys and West Glamorgan Fire Brigades as part of Welsh Government reforms.

Cian began his training to become an On-Call firefighter in mid-June 2023 - one week after his 18th birthday.

Having grown up with his grandfather and father working as firefighters, Cian had an early interest in becoming a firefighter himself. Outside of his role with the Service, Cian works as a plasterer and while he is in the early stages of his career, he aspires to eventually become a wholetime firefighter. Recent incidents that Cian has attended include a road traffic collision, which gave him his first hands-on involvement at a real-life emergency and has made him eager to gain more experience.

Gareth, Emyr and Cian all agreed that working as firefighters provide great job satisfaction and is a highly rewarding career. Teamwork is at the heart of everything that firefighters do and their roles provide the opportunity to protect and engage with their local community.

There are also many opportunities and incentives to develop your career within the Service through a variety of continuing professional development courses and training. More information on On-Call Firefighter recruitment can be found on Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service’s website