Someone is obviously getting some sort of perverse pleasure in setting multiple fires up on Corton Cliffs and last night, the added bonus, of a fire right down on the beach.

And so, when the alerters went off last night, everything at Normanshurst was tipped out. Ladder 1 with Green Watch onboard had taken the initial call but very quickly made it Make Pumps 3 with the Unimog required too.

I drove the ERT and we headed off towards Corton Road. Dennis Newton passed a message via talk through to get us to set into the hydrant that’s situated just where the houses end on Corton Road and the Warren starts. It was eight lengths from us to Ladder 2 and then on from them up to Ladder 1. Before the the line of 70 was complete I started to trickle water into the hose to let it start on its way, therefore ensuring that water gets delivered more quickly once the ‘water on’ command is given.

And then it was just a case of ensuring that I’d always got a good level in my tank and push water up the line at about 7 bar.

Meanwhile two seats of fire were being attacked from the top of the cliffs with hosereels, 45’s and beaters. Down on the beach, ‘Billy’ and Rachael were getting to grips with the fire down there from our very own ship of the desert – the Unimog.

So for around two hours I was on my tod, pumping water to the ‘action’ about 300 metres away.

My boredom was alleviated by the arrival of three recruits from the course that’s underway at Normanshurst. They’d come to see what sort of job we’d got and see the Fire Service in action – or in my case, inaction!

As they seemed interested in what was happening I told them all I knew. And then, after a full two minutes, they knew as much as me!

Finally got back on station as the clock struck twelve – midnight that is… Crawled into bed at 1 – night, night…

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