For once my timing was just right. I’d just finished my tea when my alerter started to throw a fit for the second time today.

Head for the front door with coat on, alerter in hand, mobile in pocket and shoes on at the door… Bugger no shoes at the front door! Where did I leave them? It would have been so much quicker just to get another pair but for some reason my brain only wanted me to find the elusive pair! Found them… Only wasted 10 seconds. Now out of the door.

Cheesey negotiated the early evening traffic and we were soon outside the property with the Roman Candle for a chimney. In seven years as a retained firefighter this is only my second chimney fire. It’s not because we don’t have chimney fires it’s just that they are one pump shouts so it’s normally the wholetime watch that picks these up. But Green Watch must have been otherwise engaged so we had the honours for this one.

A salvage sheet protected the lounge floor while we fed the chimney rods upwards and Jason did sterling work on the stirrup pump. Thankfully the fire was out pretty swiftly and we were able to get all our gear out without making any real mess in the property.

Hose all the gear down and then back to Normanshurst.

– IAN CARTER (www.accessiblewebsites.co.uk)

www.alerter.co.uk