Allison rewards Fire Service’s Apprentice of the Year

Leading automatic transmission manufacturer supports apprentice schemes by backing national award; West Midlands Fire Service marks 35 years of safe rescue with Allison-equipped fire trucks.

The Chief Fire Officers’ Association’s Apprentice of the Year award has been handed over to Liam Russell of the West Midlands Fire Service at a prize-giving at the region’s transport engineering workshop. Allison Transmission sponsors the award – open to apprentices at all fire services nationally – in recognition of the importance of workshop apprentice schemes to training for the repair and maintenance of emergency vehicles.

Allison transmissions are commonly found in fire and emergency vehicles, delivering impressive performance and safety. “It is imperative that fire services’ trucks are maintained and repaired correctly to allow the vehicles to operate effectively and safely in critical and sometimes life saving situations. That is why we support and promote apprentices’ development by sponsoring this award,” says Allison UK’s area manager Riccardo Sardelli.

The occasion marks a 35 year-long relationship between the West Midlands Fire Service and Allison. “We choose Allison today for the same reason we chose them back in 1974: fully automatic gearboxes allow our fire-fighters to keep two hands on the wheel, giving them more control of the vehicle,” says John Brown, Assistant Chief Fire Officer for the West Midlands Fire Service. “As trucks have developed over the years, Allison has become more and more relevant to our needs, particularly in safety, helping us to reduce emissions and keeping as many of our vehicles as possible out on the roads.”

Liam Russell, 19, from Willenhall, West Midlands, received £250 Snap-on tools vouchers and an invitation to attend a 3-day Allison Transmission training course at the company’s European Headquarters in The Netherlands. He studies at Walsall Technical College, where he is more than halfway through a four year light and heavyweight apprenticeship scheme. Liam won the award based on his performance at college and the progress made in developing practical skills in the workplace at the West Midlands Fire Service transport engineering workshop.

“This award is a big leg-up in my career in the motor vehicle trade, fulfilling a dream I’ve had since I was a kid,” says Russell. “I’ve worked a lot with the Allison transmissions but never to the level of detail this training course will offer. It will be great to get a deeper understanding for the future.”