A record intake of young people has joined the fire cadet programme this summer, as the initiative marks 26 years by doubling  its capacity, expanding from 50 to 100 available places.

The milestone was celebrated during an opening ceremony at Parkinson Memorial School, attended by government and fire service dignitaries, instructors and families.

Addressing the audience under this year’s theme, Empowering Tomorrow’s Future Leaders, co-ordinator Rozel Davis emphasised that the programme goes far beyond basic emergency response. She explained that the core focus remains firmly on developing youth leadership by instilling discipline, teamwork and resilience.