Date: 30th August 2008
Time: 2010
Type: House
Address: Whapload Road, Lowestoft
Initial Attendance: Normanshurst 01 and 02
I must be getting old… Saturday night and the only thing I'm looking forward to is a repeat of a repeat (etc.) of Dad's Army!
But before that it's over to the station for a shout to reports of a house fire on Whapload Road. Ladder 1 mobilises as I dodge the traffic crossing Normanston Drive. I'm first in so take the drivers tally and we book mobile with Dennis Newton in charge and Greg Osborn and Howard Clark in the back.
It's just controlled burning of rubbish but from a distance probably looked like a building was involved.
We headed off with me commenting to Dennis that it looked like I'd get to see Dad's Army after all…
As Dennis closed us down over the radio with Control we heard a Fire Priority message for Normanshurst 01. We could hear the turnout alarm as we made our way around the back of the station. As the appliance bay came into view we could see two lights up – Ladder 1 and the PRT.
So straight into our bay, jump out, get my gear onto the PRT and we're off again. This time it's to an RTC on the A12 at Rackhams Corner.
As we came out of Lowestoft and onto the dual carriageway we could see loads of blue lights ahead but quite a way beyond Rackhams Corner. Over the radio we were given the corrected location – on the southbound carriageway, south of the Hopton roundabout. We went past the incident and doubled back at the Jay Lane crossover. As we picked our way through the police cars, paramedic fast response vehicle and ambulance, you could see the trail of mud and debris that the car had left behind.
Even though the road had been closed I still parked the PRT in the fend off position, to protect ourselves and others in case any vehicles did somehow get to use this section of the road. No cutting gear was required, just the tool box so that the battery could be disconnected. The stem light was used to give lighting to the scene – paramedics dealing with a casualty on the verge and the police handcuffing a young man.
Some of us then set off with torches and the Thermal Image Camera as there were reports of a third individual involved. After a quick scout round we left any further searching to the boys in blue.
And that was us done. Poodled off back to the station and home having well and truly missed Dad's Army… You stupid boy!
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