So there we were having our crew piccy taken to commemorate the opening of North Lowestoft Fire Station when the turnout alarm made its presence felt. It takes us a few seconds to react as the turnout alarm isn't quite as strident as the doorbell! Is that someone at the door or have we got a shout?
It's a shout… Came through on the tip sheet as Loft at a property on St.Peters Street in Lowestoft, barely half a mile from the fire station.
Of course we are now very much the focus of attention as we busy ourselves with getting mobile. Funny how having 60 odd people watch you makes things happen in slow motion… Everyone had helpfully moved to one side but this meant I had to push my way through the crowd to hit the big black button that opens the front and rear appliance bay doors. A few 'Excuse me, thank you's' later and I was able to get to the drivers seat of the pump.
Pre-flight checks – radio on, handheld radios, tip sheet, crew of six, seatbelts, 999 button pressed and we're good to roll. Stand back folks!
I'm hoping there's some really good pics of me as we pulled out, steely jawed and a determined look on my face! I think I was more worried about mowing down an honoured guest on the inside or a protestor on the outside, so the look is probably not that good.
By the time we got to the bottom of Normanston Drive we could see the smoke billowing up from the affected property. As we pulled up everyone got to work. Mel and Jason donning BA, Mark setting up BA Entry Control, Gary getting the short ex ladder off, me putting the pump in and getting the hosereel laid out and Dennis putting in an Assistance Message of Make Pumps 4.
We then laid out and charged our flaked lengths of 45, ready to use as a covering jet.
Dennis stuck his head round the front door only to be confronted with the sight of a well developed fire at the top of the stairs. Mel and Jason entered the house, made their way to the stairs and then advanced up them to tackle the seat of the fire.
Meantime, I'm setting in to the hydrant which, thankfully, was just across the road, outside the Tudor Rose pub.
The fire was brought under control quickly, also being attacked in the adjoining property by the on call firefighters from Lowestoft South.
And soon the cavalry was arriving – the Hydraulic Platform (HP) and support pump from Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft 01 (just back from the RTC on the Barnby Bends).
The HP backed right up to us so that they could get good access to the roof. Their crew then removed tiles to allow ventilation and to attack any hotspots in the roof space. And instead of getting their support pump set in to them, I just supplied the HP with enough water for damping down.
And that was that…
A big thank you to the guys at Lowestoft College for supplying hot drinks and muffins. You're stars!
And Councillor Colin Spence, who had only just officially opened North Lowestoft Fire Station, was brought down to the job by the Dep to see, first hand, what it is the cheapest to run Fire and Rescue Service in the UK actually does. That's a top rate service delivered by a dedicated team of firefighters – many of whom where on call firefighters – just the people the Dep had been speaking so warmly of just minutes before.
They say that actions speak louder than words…
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