VOLUNTEERS are needed to help capture the history of fire fighting in the county.

VOLUNTEERS are needed to help capture the history of fire fighting in the county.

The team will meet, interview and record living memories of people who served in Essex County Fire & Rescue Service as part of a project to create an oral history of the organisation.

The recordings will be used as part of an interactive display Essex Fire Museum highlighting the work carried out by fire fighters in the Second World War, the role of the Auxiliary Fire Service and women in the fire service.

It will also explore the social history behind historic landmark events such as The Rose & Crown pub fire in Saffron Walden 1969.

As well as featuring in the interactive displays, the recordings will be used to create a virtual museum tour available on line.

Museum manager Andrea MacAlister said: “We know there is a wealth of fascinating stories out there waiting to be told by the men and women who protected the County over the years, and who still work for us now. e want to capture those memories for future generations to enjoy. “Oral histories allow people to tell their own story and explain their own place in history.

“The volunteers who come forward will play a vital role in making sure that these memories are collected and can be shared with a new generation of Essex Fire Museum visitors and wider.”

Volunteers will be equipped with special recording equipment and will receive training from Essex Records Office for how to conduct oral history recordings.

The museum is looking for volunteers of all ages with good communication, presentation and conversational skills and the ability to engage with people from varying backgrounds.

To register an interest, contact museum manager andrea.macalister@essex-fire.gov.uk, ECFRS volunteer manager lisa.hart@essex-fire.gov.ukor

call 01376 576 214 and leave a message.

The project has been funded by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.