For the second time on Saturday my alerter summoned me to the fire station. Bang on 4pm and I was jogging over to the station and taking one of the BA slots. The tip sheet just said “House” with the address in Edendale, off Sands Lane in Lowestoft.
Even as we entered Sands Lane smoke was visible in the distance – it looked like we’d got ourselves a working job.

As Cheesey pulled into Edendale we could see Blue Watch from Lowestoft South getting a hosereel run out and two guys getting started up in BA. It seems that the fire was in the lounge and this team was going to enter from the front of the property.

Mel and I were readying ourselves in BA with the aim of going round the back of the house and entering through the patio doors. Jason ran the second hosereel from Lowestoft South 01 through the garage and to the rear garden. From here he was able to hit the fire through the open patio door just before the BA team came in through the front.

By now both Mel and I were under air, had given our tallies to Mark Francis and were hurrying in Ballsy’s footsteps to the back of the house. As we entered the lounge the first BA team where just dousing the last remnants of the fire.

Mel turned off the gas and electric before we headed upstairs to make sure all the windows were open to allow the house to ventilate.

And that was about it for us. We helped to clear some debris from the lounge but I think we all were thinking how lucky the occupants of the house had been to escape unscathed.
 But it could so easily have been worse. They had an escape route planned and used it to good effect.

Have you thought about escape routes if you have a fire in your house? Think of different scenarios and how you would exit the building. Make sure the whole family know the plans and have a ‘dry-run’. Test your smoke alarm at least once a week. Just three breaths of smoke can render you unconscious. Don’t leave it to chance…

And if you still need convincing, take a look at some of these Government fire safety adverts.

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

www.alerter.co.uk