When the alerter goes off, most teenagers are thinking about lunch.
Bobi Jones is thinking about which fire engine to jump on.
The 18-year-old is one of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service’s youngest ever on-call firefighters – and he does it while studying A-Levels at Ysgol Bro Teifi in Llandysul.
His school has even granted him special permission to leave free periods when an emergency call comes in.
Bobi applied to become an on-call firefighter shortly before his 18th birthday – and he was accepted almost immediately, joining the crew at Newcastle Emlyn Fire Station in November 2025.
He is far from the first in his family to don the uniform.
His brother, father, uncle and grandfather have all served with the fire service – representing three generations of firefighters and more than 75 years of combined service between them.
One of his most memorable early incidents was a fire at a local gym, where he was involved in rolling out hoses and establishing safety lines – exactly the kind of work most people his age couldn’t imagine.
“There’s a good crew here at Newcastle Emlyn Station, which includes members of my family,” Bobi said. “We all support each other and there’s great camaraderie here.”
Outside the fire station, Bobi plays for Newcastle Emlyn Rugby Club and is studying A-Level Business and Sport.
He says the desire to give back to his community was the main reason he applied – and he has found it genuinely rewarding.
After finishing school, Bobi plans to start an electrician apprenticeship – with a long-term goal of becoming a wholetime firefighter.
On-call firefighters remain available to respond in their own time, receiving retainer fees and call-out payments alongside whatever other work or study they’re doing.
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is currently recruiting for on-call firefighters – and Bobi’s message to anyone considering it is simple.
“I would say absolutely go for it,” he said. “The availability options are flexible enough to suit everyone and the Service is always recruiting for more on-call firefighters.”
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