Forest firefighters are national trailblazers, says Gloucestershire's new Chief Fire Officer Jon Hall.

The county fire chief says in his 30-year career he has never come across the dedication to duty of the part- timers who cover the Dean.

During the last three decades Jon has worked in rural areas such as the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex and Herefordshire.

But after moving to Gloucestershire he says the men and women who run the stations in Lydney, Coleford, Cinderford and Newent should be held in the highest regard.

In a remarkable tribute to the Dean's 999 crews, he says he has always respected retained firefighters who manage to fit looking after their communities in between their day jobs.

The "demanding commitment" needed requires them to go on many courses, train regularly and deal with 999 calls that can disrupt the family and social plans, he says.

"That is true for all retained firefighters, nearly 17,000 of them across England alone," he added.

"But the Forest is different. Not only do they manage to keep their fire appliances available for more time than any other area I've worked in, they also provide a range of skills and other services almost unheard of elsewhere in the UK."

Mr Hall was delighted to find that firefighters at Newent train on and crew a hovercraft which proved beneficial in the floods of 2007.

Although it can be deployed anywhere in the county, it is of particular benefit around the lower reaches of the Severn when people frequently get caught on mud flats.

"This is part of a strategic response to flooding and water rescue," he said.

"Water does not see the borders of individual stations so Newent enhances the service received by the whole county at times of crisis."

The county's only small off-road fire engine operates from Cinderford and gives firefighters access to some of the most inaccessible parts of the forest.

Lydney crews are trained in other types of water rescue and crew a pull-along boat for flood rescues.

They also respond to medical incidents such as heart attacks.

"This provides communities with a vital life-sustaining service while the nearest ambulance might be some distance away," he said.

Both Lydney and Coleford also have rope teams needed in areas such as Symonds Yat and Wintours Leap.

Mr Hall said: "When I hear phrases about "Big Society" and communities helping themselves, it is hard to find better examples than Gloucestershire's retained Fire and Rescue Service, and right at the top of the finest of them all are the firefighters of the Forest."