Mr. D. W. Jones, Betws, who has retired from
the Fire Service.

ON CALL FOR 21 YEARS

After being “on call' for the last 21 years, Mr. D. W. Jones has retired from his position as Ammanford Station Officer of the Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire Joint Fire Brigade.

Mr. Jones, who lives in Pentwyn Road Betws, first started in the fire service in 1939, when he joined Ammanford Fire Brigade – as it was then known – as a retained fireman.

A short while afterwards he succeeded Mr. W. Fairburn as captain of the brigade.

In 1944, after nationalisation, Mr. Jones was appointed company officer in charge of stations in Ammanford, Glanamman, Garnant, Llandybie and Tycroes.

The joint fire brigade came into being in 1948, and Mr. Jones became station officer for Ammanford.

1,000 CALLS

Mr. Jones, who was, incidentally, the first officer to have charge of the modern new fire station in High Street, Ammanford, estimates that during his 21 years as a fireman he has been called out about 1,000 times.

When he joined, he says, fire-fighting equipment consisted of two handcarts housed in part of the old power house near Ammanford Railway Station. Now the Ammanford unit boasts two gleaming modern machines and a well-equipped station.

Mr. Jones, holds the bronze medal of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which he was awarded in 1948 for rescuing a dog from a mine shaft.

He has also been awarded the Queen's long service and good conduct medal.