Amanda Patience combines saving lives in the fire service with working as a Asda grocery colleague
An Asda colleague combines saving lives in the fire service with working as a grocery colleague at Asda Wheatley.
Amanda Patience, 30, carries a pager with her at all times, enabling her to dash out of the store when Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service put out an emergency call.
The store’s management have given Amanda special allowance to answer emergency calls from the Service, which can range from house fires, car accidents, flooding and fire alarms.
Amanda said: “I like working in the community, helping people and making a difference – which is why I trained to be a member of the fire service.
“Our general store manager, Michael Turner, and deputy store manager, Jason Clark, have been unbelievable in their support.
“Customers are great too; sometimes I can be helping a customer when my pager buzzes and I have to quickly explain what that means. When they realise, they say ‘go, go, go’!
“I then call either Michael or Jason literally as I’m running out of the store and drive straight to the station, which is a only a minute away. I quickly get changed into my fire service outfit and go on the call-out.”
Amanda, who lives in Tetsworth, has worked at the Wheatley store for 14 years and began training to join to fire service in 2009. She continues to use her annual leave, as well as taking periods of unpaid leave, to allow her to attend extended training requirements.
Mark Keely, watch manager at Wheatley Fire Station, said: “We can’t run an effective service without thoughtful employers, like Asda, so we really appreciate how we’ve been able to work together with them.
“The way Amanda manages it is excellent – she can be available at the drop of a hat to serve her community, and she’s also able to achieve everything she needs for her employer too.”
On call fire fighters are alerted to an emergency incident in their area and then have five minutes to get to their local fire station and respond as a professional fire fighter.
Michael Turner, general store manager at Asda Wheatley, said: “We want to support our colleagues in getting the right balance in their lives.
“Amanda is a great support to the store, customers and local community. She manages to juggle a full-time role here, a role with the fire service and her home life – she does it all very well.”
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