A long-serving firefighter has retired from Peel Fire Station after almost three decades of service with the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service.

Firefighter Jonathon Cover has stepped down after 29 years with the service, having joined in 1996. Until his retirement, he was the second longest-serving firefighter based at the Peel station.

During his career, Mr Cover built up extensive operational experience and became a familiar and respected figure within the service, particularly in the west of the Island. Colleagues said he was always generous with his time, supporting and helping to develop newer firefighters at the station.

Alongside his operational duties, Mr Cover regularly provided more than 140 hours a week of on-call availability.

Bosses say this commitment played an important role in ensuring that a fire appliance could be kept available to respond to incidents in the west of the island, an area served largely by retained firefighters who balance emergency cover with other work and family commitments.

The Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service said Mr Cover’s dedication and reliability had made a significant contribution to the day-to-day resilience of the service at Peel over many years.

His retirement was marked on Wednesday evening, when colleagues gathered at Peel Fire Station to thank him for his long-standing service. The event provided an opportunity for firefighters to reflect on his career and to recognise the experience and continuity he brought to the station over nearly three decades.

Speaking as part of the farewell, the service wished Mr Cover and his family well for the future, ahead of what was described as a well-earned retirement.

Mr Cover’s departure marks the end of a lengthy chapter at Peel Fire Station, where he served through significant changes in equipment, training and operational demands since the mid-1990s.