Watch Commander, Donny Clarke will be hanging up his boots for the last time this Friday after serving the communities of Warwickshire for more than 37 years.
Donny began his career in 1983 as a retained firefighter at Nuneaton fire station and in 1990 he became a wholetime firefighter. Moving through the ranks he then moved from Crew Manager in 2007 to Watch Commander in 2011. During his career Donny has taken on and excelled in several roles sharing his skills and expertise in key areas such as training, response, arson prevention, recruitment and more recently he has played an instrumental role on the Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion agenda.
However, Donny’s legacy will be the support he gave to young people in the county to help them gain confidence and life skills for a better future. Key to this was the role he played in managing the Young Firefighters group in Nuneaton. He was also instrumental in setting up an in-house programme called Flare, which was created to support young people from a range of backgrounds who needed additional support.
However, his commitment to make a difference to his community didn’t stop there. For the past 20 years he has also given up his time to serve as a magistrate, which is why he has such a clear understanding of the sort of trouble young people can get into if they choose the wrong path. It’s also why he has been so determined to stop that happening to young people in Warwickshire.
During his career, Donny’s commitments have been recognised and in 2002 he was honoured for his role in rescuing a man impaled on glass and in 2008 he was nominated by his colleagues for a Community Hero Award.
Talking about his retirement, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Services Chief Fire Officer, Kieran Amos said:
“Donny will be missed by everyone here at Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service and all those who had the pleasure of working with him over the last 37 years.
“He is an amazing ambassador for the service, and he epitomizes everything that a firefighter should be. His drive and determination to support young people during his career has been inspirational.
"Unfortunately, due to the current climate, Donny won’t quite get the send-off we were hoping to give him, but we wish him every happiness as he starts his new adventure.”
Warwickshire County Council's portfolio holder for community safety, Cllr Andy Crump said: “I would personally like to thank Donny for dedicating 37 years of his life to the fire and rescue service and the community of Warwickshire.
"He has been an exceptional Watch Commander whose hard work and commitment has made Warwickshire a safer place. I wish him all the very best for the future and hope that he has a long, happy and healthy retirement.”