Thousands enjoy first Derbyshire police and fire service open day

More than 7,000 people attended the first joint police and fire service open day.
Held at the Joint Training Centre in Ripley - the services welcomed people from across the county for a day of demonstrations by police officers, firefighters and paramedics.
Chief Constable Peter Goodman said: “Our first joint open day was an absolutely fantastic event.
“Thankfully, most people will never have to see the work that our officers and firefighters have to do every day. That is why events like this are so important and show the wide range of situations that we may be called in to deal with.
“I hope that everyone who attended had lots of fun, as well as learning a little more about the real breadth and depth of what the emergency services contend with on a day-to-day basis.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Hardyal Dhindsa, said: “It was a really enjoyable day and I’m pleased that so many members of the public took the opportunity to come along to see everything on display including police dogs, fire dogs, vehicles and tenders, demonstrations from different teams and so on. Visitors were able to see the different elements of these vital public services which I think is important.
“The site rang to the sound of children’s laughter - a good indication that they were enjoying a great family day out which is what we set out to do.
“I know a lot of people worked very hard to put this day on and I would like to thank them all. It was a great success and they should have the credit.
“I know that, due to the larger than anticipated numbers attending, some people including me, had a bit of a queue to get in, which we hope to overcome next time.”
Group Manager for Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, Gary Platts, said: “The day went fantastically well and we had great support from the community.
“The feedback we have had so far has been amazing. Events like this are so important to educate the public on what we do. It was heart-warming to see the pride that people have in the emergency services, which made the event even more special.
“I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone that attended, our exhibitors and partners and our staff and volunteers who gave up their time to make the event happen.”