Alerter blog

Month: July 2009

  • Farewell Boycie…

    Keith Boyce was a nice bloke.

    I first met Boycie on my retained recruits course back in 2002. His laid back, humourous and calm ways helped many a nervous recruit master the intricacies and vagaries of the Lightweight Portable Pump…

    Keith retired barely three years ago and, not long into his well deserved retirement, he suffered a massive stroke. This was felt so keenly by all those who knew him and remembered him so fondly, especially his 'old Indian tricks'.

    I last saw Keith when he dropped in on our Christmas lunch at the Fire Station. Although obviously frail, you could see a sparkle in his eyes as he mixed with colleagues and friends.

    And today Boycie was buried. He passed away last week…

    St.Michael's church in Oulton saw members of Keith's family come together with friends and members of his 'other' family to celebrate his life.

    Pall-bearers, drawn from Fire Service volunteers, said their farewells along with so many former colleagues and officers from across the county.

    The cortege then moved off, led by one of our pumps, heading in to Lowestoft for the burial service.

    All the vehicles at Normanshurst had been pulled out in front of the station and our flag was flying at half mast.

    As the cortege drew closer the single rank of over 30 firefighters and officers came to attention. I hope that Keiths family, on seeing so many honouring him, could begin to understand how highly he was regarded in Suffolk Fire and Rescue.

    The command was given to stand at ease. And, on cue and in some a way fitting send off, the bells went, our alerters sounded.

    Farewell Boycie…

  • Robo-firefighter

    Or should it be Flaminator?

    Head over to the BBC website and watch how a 'crew' of robo-firefighters deal with a cylinder in a van.

    It's all aimed at keeping firefighters safer and being able to more rapidly reduce the 200m exclusion zone.

    However, when you get to 1:30 in the clip you may wish to keep that exclusion zone intact. Shame the video wasn't of a cylinder that had been involved in a fire because at 1 minute and 30 seconds I would be diving for cover!

    Enjoy…

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8172739.stm?ls

  • First Aid is simple…

    "There's nowt to it. First Aid is simple", were the words uttered by George, the lead instructor on our four day First Aid course.

    It seemed there were so many things that we just wouldn't be able to assist with. And in George's words "there's f**k all you can do abart it". So much so that, by Day 3, when he asked us what we could do we'd all chorus, "F**k all!"

    I even thought about weaving it in to one of my practical sessions that signalled the end of the course today. In fact, thinking about it, I did… When I'd finished dealing with an unconscious casualty who then needed CPR, I was asked a set of probing questions by our Fire Service examiner. I answered these as fully as I could but the last one was asking me how I'd deal with a certain injury. I answered by saying, "as George would say, F**k all!".

    A pass on that bit. Thank you…

    Then the long wait to do the practical session with a live casualty and being assessed by an external nurse (this means she wasn't part of the Fire Service and not that she sat outside while assessing us…).

    The whole shebang probably didn't last more than 10 minutes but it felt like a lifetime. Thankfully I remembered to ask my casualty about SAMPLE. This isn't to be confused with asking the casualty for a sample. Unless, of course, I was going to add pregnancy testing to my basic First Aid repertoire!
    SAMPLE means asking about Signs and Symptoms, Allergies, Medication, Past medical history, Last intake of food or drink and Events leading up to the me finding the casualty.

    After I had applied a state of the art, almost Tourniquet style dressing, I had a one sided conversation with the Ambulance control, telling them the life history of my casualty and hoping this pergatory would end. It didn't so I started asking questions again about the banged head, took the pulse and generally made things more comfortable for the casualty.

    And finally it was over. Pass. And only George there to congratulate me… Everyone else with much further than me to travel had gone in with furthest first, leaving old Billy No Mates to go last.

    Back to the real world tomorrow and four days worth of work and e-mails to catch up on… Oh joy!

  • Risk Critical Training: Combination Drills

    After the shambles of a couple of weeks back when this Risk Critical drill had to be cancelled, Tuesday night saw us have another go.

    Our previous attempt had been interrupted by three shouts, as the retained firefighters at Normanshurst covered the town for our wholetime colleagues.

    So it was back to Combination Drills with the Training Department keeping an eagle eye on everything we did.

    We were split into two crews and Mel was Incident Commander.

    First it was a confined pitch of the 9m ladder to the side face of the drill tower with a hosereel jet got to work from the head of the ladder. I was part of the crew that then made a dam, using two sections of the short extension ladder, the dam braces, four step chocks and a salvage sheet. The finished article beats any paddling pool you'll find in Argos!

    Then it was get the LPP into position next to the slowly filling dam, connect two lengths of hard suction and then a length of 70 off in the direction of the ERT. I had the dubious honour of operating the LPP, which I've always hated because of the problems it caused me on my recruits course. But, for once, everything went swimmingly and I got water first time – which shouldn't be a problem as you're not exactly having to lift the water any great distance…

    While all this was happening a ladder crew were doing a confined pitch of the 135 ladder to the front face of the drill tower. The plan was then for some poor soul to climb the ladder in the stiffening breeze and get a 45 to work from the head of the ladder into the third floor window. At least it won't be me, I thought smuggly, as I made myself look busy, fussing around the putting and spluttering LPP.
    Just then Mel shouted that he was changing the crews around so that we can all try something that's out of our comfort zone. I didn't need Mel to tell me that it would be me shinning up the ladder.

    Off I go with the branch draped over my shoulder, plodding methodically up to just below the window sill on the third floor. Ben then made his way up to just below me and fixed the hose becket level with my bottom foot and then fed plenty of hose through. Just to explain – the hose becket effectively takes the weight of the the hose and all the water that's in it, as this would be impossible for the 'branch man' to hold.

    A minute or so of soaking the inside of the tower and then we got the order to advance into the tower, get water on again and then advance up to the fourth floor using the vertical metal ladder.

    So water off, water pressure released at the dividing breach, becket off, into the tower followed by Ben, becket on again just below the sill and water on… Now up to the fourth floor and a bit more squirting.

    And then, faintly, on the breeze and over the radio I heard the words that are music to my ears – 'Knock off and make up". That's it, the drill is over. It's just a case of making all the gear up and getting it all stored away again.

    General consensus was that everything went well, it was good to get our hands on bits of kit that we don't get the opportunity too often to do. No one was taken off the run, which is good. And to round off the evening it was time for a bit of storytelling as we filled in our brand spanking new Individual Training Records…

  • Firefighter dies tackling pub blaze in Edinburgh

    It's a sad day as we mourn the death of a fellow firefighter.

    Ewan Williamson was tackling a fire at the Balmoral Bar in Edinburgh as part of a BA team working on the ground floor. Reports, so far, say that the floor gave way and the two firefighters fell into the basement, where the fire is believed to have started. Ewan died of his injuries and his colleague was taken to hospital for treatment.

    I am sure the thoughts and prayers of firefighters all over the UK and beyond are with the family and friends of Ewan and with his colleagues who will be feeling his loss so keenly.

    And if there is anything positive to come out of this tragedy, it is that 20 people were rescued from the fire including a baby.

    The chance to save life is what drives a firefighter to enter a burning building while others run away.

    Ewan and the other firefighters did just that last night and 20 people owe their lives to that fact…

  • Fire on boat, cylinder involved…

    Wednesday turned into quite a busy day for us. Earlier we had the gas leak following an RTC and, at 4.30pm, another shout. This time it was for a fire on a boat but the boat was on dry land.

    We tipped out in the ERT to Harbour Road in Oulton Broad to the International Boatbuilding Training Centre. Blue Watch were coming from the other end of town and we committed to the incident a few minutes ahead of them (is this how things might be when they move south of the river later this year?).

    The boat was about 20 feet long and was well alight in the small wheelhouse. The hosereel was run out with me following behind with two lengths of 45 and a branch. Those that had been renovating the boat were 'pretty sure' that all cylinders had been removed. However, as the flames were beaten back it was clear to see that one had been left behind – a 45kg Propane cylinder. The 45 was hung over the side of the boat as an improvised monitor to cool the cylinder.

    We then set the LPP into the river to feed the 'monitor' directly, giving it a good cooling jet.

    Job done. Back to Normanshurst and wait till the night Watch came on duty at 6pm and then home for tea…

    Busy old station…

  • Fire on Corton Cliffs, Lowestoft – 2nd July

    I'd booked myself off the run for most of today. For once my day job was going to take precedence over Suffolk Fire and Rescue. With a couple of the guys travelling from as far afield as Manchester and Gloucester I didn't think it would be too polite to dash off on a shout in the middle of our meeting!

    Within minutes of getting back from the railway station and seeing off the last of my colleagues, my alerter had me dashing for the exit.

    Ladder 1 had gone to a fire in undergrowth on Corton Cliffs and had just put in an Assistance Message – Make Pumps 2. As I was well ahead of anybody else I thought I might take a precautionary wee just so I wouldn't have to expose myself on Corton Cliffs – not a good idea (if you know the area you'll know what I mean!).

    Now why is it that when you're in a hurry you can't pee? Is it the added adrenalin? Perhaps I didn't really need a wee after all. Matters weren't helped by the bells going again and there being one of the station alarms just feet behind me! I get there in the end and make sure all equipment is stowed safely.

    By now others are arriving from all directions and we need the Unimog too.

    We head for Ladder 1 on Corton Road and get ready to dump our tank into theirs. Plenty of time because around six lengths of 45 were run out along the narrow cliff path with three lengths of the hosereel attached to this.

    I then acted as water shuttle in Ladder 2, filling up from the hydrant that was a few hundred metres back up the road.

    As usual there's always one of our number that just has to talk to the girls. This time it was a diminuitive (Dobbie sized) WPC that got the full attention of this particular firefighter. I'm not naming the individual as to do so might result in his bits being cut off with a rusty cheesewire, popped into a Jiffy bag and posted through his door!

    And that was that. Plenty of hose to make up, hosereel to wipe clean and lay flat delineators (cones) to be removed from the vicinity of our very compact WPC. No prizes for guessing who volunteered for that task…

  • Combination Drills interrupted…

    It seemed like every man and his fire engine was at Normanshurst last night.

    Beccles and Bungay crews were there for a risk critical BA session – simulated dwelling fire, persons reported, plus the added bonus of gas cylinders involved.

    Meanwhile Clifton were dealing with an RTC involving two cars in the fire station driveway.

    And finally two retained crews from Normanshurst were starting combination drills with confined pitches of the 135 ladder.

    Each crew took a different face of the drill tower for their pitch followed by getting water to work from two lengths of 45 from the head of the ladder. Then we advanced into the tower, sending cascades of water down the inside of the tower to avoid soaking everyone else on the drill yard!

    Not long after I'd hauled myself into the third floor of the tower, the station alarm sounded. Hoping for two lights up as I was on the next pump after the Watch. No lights so not sure what was going on. Carry on with the waterfall effect in the tower.

    The bells go again just a couple of minutes later but it's only for Ladder 1. Then, over the handheld radios, the first retained crew is being called to crew Ladder 1. Pete Brown, Shambles and I do a nifty descent down three sets of vertical ladders, getting soaked by the remaining water on its way down…

    We were off to M&H Plastics in Beccles for an AFA. Thankfully no fire as it would have had a chance to get a good hold in the time it took us to get out to Beccles.

    Our arrival seemed to be the highlight for some of the ladies on the evening shift. Never really understood this 'thing' that certain ladies have for firefighters. It's just the uniform and the idea of being 'saved' – it certainly isn't about what or who is inside said uniform. If the ladies that go weak at the knees at the sight of a firefighter could hear the dawn farting chorus when we're all together at five in the morning, they'd soon go off the idea…

    Anyway, a slow drive back from Beccles was called for and, with any luck, all the gear and ladders would have been made up.

    Then we hear Ladder 2 book mobile to an AFA at Birds Eye which, like ours, is nothing to write home about. Still, they should be back before us, so we should be OK for missing out on the make up.

    Just heading back through Worlingham and we get a Fire Priority to a garage fire in Spashett Road, Lowestoft. Pete picks up the pace and we race off back to Lowestoft, hearing Ladder 2 book mobile to the same job.

    We make it all the way back to the Shell Garage in Oulton Broad before the Stop message goes in.

    It seems it wasn't a garage on fire, just a very small pile of rubbish that succumbed to two buckets of water!

    And all we had to do back at Normanshurst was get the two 135 ladders down.

    Our night of combination drills is now being rescheduled…