being a retained FireFighter in Suffolk
House fire, Dene Road, Lowestoft
Do you know, there is a direct correlation between me having food in front of me and my alerter going off… It’s true.
This morning, with the weather feeling particularly Autumnal, I wandered round to Tesco’s and bought some fresh milk and a bag of jam doughnuts. I looked upon the doughnuts as something that, with all that sugar, would get me through the day.
So, coffee made and me just reaching for the doughnuts is guaranteed to get my alerter agitated. And there it goes, didn’t even get a taster of the sugar coating. Bugger!
On my way to the fire station I met Ladder 1 going in the opposite direction into town. I’m second in and get the drivers position and see that we’re off to a house fire just north of Lowestoft town centre. Even as I’m getting on to Ladder 2 the bells go again. The job is now Make Pumps 3, so must be a working job.
We book mobile with a crew of four to ensure there are enough to crew the now needed ERT. As we neared Dene Road a fair amount of smoke could be seen, blowing across Corton Road by the strong Westerly breeze.
Jason and Ben made their way to the BA entry control, ready to be tasked with a job or act as Emergency Team to BA team already committed. Meanwhile, I started to pump my water over to Ladder 1 until a hydrant could be found.
Shortly after our arrival there were assistance messages for the Hydraulic Platform from Great Yarmouth as well as Make Pumps 4 – bringing Clifton out to play too.
By now the fire had spread from its original seat (in a cupboard) up into the loft and from there was spreading right and left into the adjoining properties. BA teams were committed into all three premises and, through their swift and decisive actions, prevented the fire from taking hold in these other properties.
The Hydraulic Platform arrived and was sited ready to work at removing tiles on the roof of the affected property.
And while all this is happening you can’t but help notice little things going on around you…
The police have been called to close off roads but are the first to get a cup of tea… Made me smile as I darted here, there and everywhere, getting ladders, running out more hosereels, setting up a BA area, etc.
And what about the good old British postie. The mail will always get through! So, as mayhem reigns around him he is depositing his deliveries into open doorways even as smoke is still billowing out! He even handled a bundle to a surprised firefighter and said, “Could you make sure they get these, please?” And this was for the house that had had the fire – let’s hope there weren’t any bills or even the renewal notice for the buildings insurance!
Then, with all the excitement over, it was time for the tidy up. It always amazes me the complete and utter buggers muddle that hose and hosereel seems to get itself into. All that away then a human chain removing buckets of charred remains from the house…
Back on station and the cooks rustled us up double egg, bacon chips and beans – bloody lovely! And I still forced down a jam doughnut when I got back to work.
– IAN CARTER (www.accessiblewebsites.co.uk)
