Alerter blog

Author: charley-farley-737

  • Flamin’ June…

    It's now been a week since my last post and that's down to one simple reason… we haven't had any shouts.

    This year we've been getting around 18 shouts a month except for June, flamin' June. We're literally half way through the month and we've had just two shouts!

    Everything has just come to a resounding halt. This always makes it worse when your alerter does go off next. You start to forget that little appendage, clipped to your belt, and are lulled into a false sense of relaxation.

    Of course, I'll talk it up now. Just as I nod off on the settee, all hell will break loose and I'll be careering around, Zombie-like, as I head for the exit…

    Flamin' June, my arse…

    If you're still here and still awake, head over to the new image gallery at Alerter.co.ukfor some pics of the pumps at Normanshurst.

  • Rushmeres DIY, Lowestoft – Fire, Make Pumps 6

    There I was, trying my best to look as if I was enjoying a spot of gardening, all for the benefit of the onlooking Mrs C, when the station alarm sounded. I froze in anticipation, waiting to see if my pocket started to vibrate – my alerter going off, not me getting excited at the bells going down! But nothing. Ladder 1 left the fire station and headed into town.

    Bugger! Looked like I'd have to keep up the pretence of enjoying doing the garden…

    And then, barely two minutes later, just as I'd resumed the weeding position, the station alarm went again followed hot on its heels by my alerter.

    Take a look at some images from the fire at Rushmere's DIY in Lowestoft

    What to do first? Wheeled Karen indoors at lightening speed, coat off, telly on and phone on her table. Change from my shorts into jeans, out the front door, pile all my gardening tools and the wheelbarrow under a bush and legged it across to the fire station.

    Just one light up – Ladder 1's job was now Make Pumps 2 at Rushmere's DIY on Newcombe Road, Lowestoft near to the Birds Eye factory.

    Even as we were piling onto Ladder 2 the bells went again for the ERT. It seems that Jim Parsons on Ladder 1 was putting in assistance message before even getting to the job and we could see why. As we turned out of the fire station towards town we could see a huge plume of smoke billowing into the sky. Th assistance message had been Make Pumps 4 so Clifton were on their way to. This would also mean that the Command Support Vehicle (used to be FCV) from Beccles plus their pump would also be mobilised too.


    We pulled up just past Ladder 1 to hit the fire from the south side, having gained entry into the yard of the neighbouring business, Star Frost. Two 45's and a hosereel were run out in short order, stopping the fire spreading into an area were numerous cylinders were stored. Early and prompt action to remove two Acetylene cylinders from immediate danger meant that these potentially lethal 'bombs' were out of harms way.

    One more assistance message went in – Make Pumps 6 – for personnel, bringing two pumps over the border from Norfolk.

    With three hydrants being used we gradually won the battle of having sufficient water to fight the fire, which had totally destroyed the wood store that was attached to the rear of the DIY store.

    Once our sector was closed we helped other crews to clear the burnt wood as damping down continued. Small seats of fire kept appearing as the heat held within the wood piles was not being reached by the hosereels. This meant the entire burnt and charred contents of the wood store had to be removed through the black morass that was the gloopy mixture of charcoal and water, and piled up in the yard.

    Pumps from Wrentham and Southwold arrived as relief crews and we headed back to Normanshurst to get everything cleaned up.

    Needless to say, the garden didn't get finished last night. Shame…


  • New features on firefighter website

    Head over to www.alerter.co.ukand take a look at the new image gallery.

    I've taken it upon myself to put together a photograhic record of Normanshurst as it is today – still going strong but with the end of its 35 year service in sight.

    First up in the gallery is a set of images of all Normanshurst's appliances and Specials – most of them taken on a gloriously sunny day in May.

    I'll start adding more images soon and will hopefully end up with a reasonably good look at Normanshurst – inside and out.

    If anyone has got images of the station from when it was built, right up to date, I'd be grateful for a copy to add to the collection. If you can, send them by e-mail to ian [at] alerter [dot] co [dot] uk. All donations gratefully received!

  • Firefighters rescue some real crash test dummies…

    It's funny how you find your self 'volunteering' for something. Sometimes you don't realise that you've done it and other times you're sold a pup. I think my 'volunteering' fell into the second category…

    In the wee small hours of last Sunday morning we were getting ready to pull a rather large horse out of a rather muddy ditch. My brain was still mush and trying desperately to get itself in gear, when Gary Smart sidled up to me and asked if I'd like to be a casualty in an RTC district exercise. At that time of the morning it sounded more appealing than running around, sweating your bits off, cutting casualties from cars – so I said 'yes'…

    And that's why I found myself and three other 'willing' helpers across at the fire station, an hour before drill, getting made up with all manner of wounds. Mine was a head wound with a lump, a cut and some blood.

    The drive up to Jeld-Wen drew some odd looks from anyone who happened to catch sight of these four battered and bruised individuals being transported in the back of a Fire Service minibus!

    The RTC involved three cars – one on all four wheels with two female casualties (the driver had been drinking…), another on its side with its roof up against a skip (Richard Belsey was in this car with a badly broken leg) and finally me, in an upside down Peuguot.

    I'd picked the car on its roof because, being a lazy git, I thought I'd be able to make myself comfortable on the roof liner and have a nice little doze – keeping in the character of being semi-conscious. But when I looked at the car I couldn't believe the amount of crap that was in it. I think someone had been using it as a skip! So I got in and laid with my head just resting in the open window, trying to nestle down in all the rubbish that was all over the place.

    First pump in was Wrentham and I could hear them surveying the scene, checking on the vehicles and the state of the casualties. I was deliberately incoherent and slipping in and out of consciousness, gradually giving information to the firefighter and then to the St Johns Ambulance staff. Could detect a rise in the voice as I slipped away – 'Ian, Ian, wake up!'

    And so followed an award-winning performance as the car was dismantled around me and we waited for a long-board to become available. As time wore on I was getting more and more uncomfortable and started to kick out – hopefully emulating the effects of a head injury – while trying to get some feeling back into my legs!

    I've decided not to 'volunteer' to be a casualty again. Sweating your bits off as a firefighter has got to be so much better than lying, helpless, having a car cut from around you – especially for Richard who had Al cutting a post just an inch or so from his head. I know the sound cutters make, the sound of glass being managed and the sound of a Remsaw. But, even so, it was unnerving being on the receiving end.

    So, when volunteers are called for again, I shall be taking three steps back…

  • Firefighters ‘tug-o-war’ rescues horse…

    It seems like I've hardly been in bed above five minutes when my little noisy companion kicks off – that's my alerter and not the present Mrs. C.

    Sluggishly I get dressed, really not wanting this at all and jog up the road softly effing and blinding to myself.

    Blue Watch, with only a crew of four, have mobilised to a horse stuck in a ditch at Camps Heath, about three miles from the station. The Unimog is required too and goes mobile with a retained crew of Mel Buck and Ben Horne.

    The rest of us plonk ourselves down expecting a long wait. But, by now, Ladder 1 has arrived at the incident and its obvious they'll need a bit more muscle… So the bells go for Ladder 2 and, with a cheery wave, we wish them well as they head for the entombed horse.

    However, our smugness doesn't last as the bells toll again, this time for the ERT. Very audible effing and blinding now… That's our cue to head off towards Camps Heath.

    We arrive at Dairy Farm and can see, in the distance, the lights surrounding the spot where the horse is stuck. More lighting is taken from the ERT as well as a host of other gear that may come in useful for unsticking the horse.

    Mel and Dennis try to find a safe route for the Unimog to get across the muddy pasture / marsh and decide to give it a go. Mel reversed the Unimog through the gateway but, almost immediately, the drivers side started to sink rapidly into the soft ground. It was now the case of rescuing the Mog as well as the horse!
    We attached the winch cable from the front of the Unimog to the front of Ladder 2 and Mel was able to winch himself back on to a firmer footing.

    The only option open to us now was a manual extrication. A line was tied around the horse's neck and around 12 of us set to in giving gentle but firm pulls. A change of direction saw the horse start to come free of the mud and eventually fully clear. She looked and sounded in a sorry state – laying very still and snorting quietly. She was given a few minutes to regain her composure as we started to make up all or gear. And a short rest was all Shannon needed. I could see her and her stable mate being led across the muddy ground towards the farm, with Shannon not looking too worse for wear.

    And that was that. Back to Normanshurst to clean all the gear and head off home – over two hours afterbeing so rudely awakened…

  • Medical – apparently I’m still alive!

    Is it really three years since my last medical for the Fire Service?

    Well, here it was again… I'd dried myself out, weaning myself off the daily diet of 10 pints of Guinness and two Babycham chasers. I'd even gone a couple of weeks without a Tesco's blow-out fried breakfast. I was determined to be at my peak for the medical!

    Mel was ahead of me and was already making the ladies from Occupational Health wish they'd stayed in Ipswich. In fact the team had to confer over the strange sightings witnessed when peering into Mel's left ear. It seems that all they could see was a big red fire engine. Fire Service to the core is our Mel. Sad to say this isn't the case. They were actually looking straight through and out of his right ear and could see Ladder 1 in the drill yard beyond!

    Being as blind as a bat I had to do the eye test with and without my specs. This was all taking a long time and the nurse was definitely getting confused. She couldn't work out how my eyesight was deteriorating right before her eyes. Luckily she realised that a bit of finger trouble on her part meant that I was viewing the slides out of sequence. Once that was sorted I was able to read the name of the makers on the bottom of the slide.

    After a few big puffs into the Vitalograph blowing thing it was off to provide a urine sample. Thank God for that. I'd been hanging on to this bladder full for the last hour and was relieved to hear that I could get some relief… A tad concerning when the nurse came into the Officers toilet with me but by now I was ready to go. Seemed she wasn't planning on staying just pointing out the little cup that was standing on top of the toilet cistern.

    "I'd like you to give me a sample of your urine in that small pot. When you've finished just leave it where it is". And with that she turned and left.

    Bugger me, I thought. I know I'm desperate to go but there's no way I'm gonna be able to fill that pot from here.

    Well, I tried my best. A quick apology to any Officers that may use that toilet in the next day or so. I'm sure the toilet seat, cistern, walls and floor will dry out soon…

    So now my pee gets checked… Are they looking for traces of performance enhancing drugs (on my performance you'd have to look very hard) or are they checking to see if I'm pregnant? No, it seems that all they do is hold my sample up to a Dulux paint colour chart and note down the nearest colour. Mine matched most closely with Hint of Straw – would look nice in our hallway…

    That's stage one complete. Now off to the Officers' Dorm for the auditory test and the step test.

    I slip on the 70's style headphones and am given a button to press each time I hear a sound. Left ear first and all's going well until someone fires up Ladder 1 outside the window, in the drill yard. Now I've got a low rumble in my ears as I try to pick up sounds that only a pack of dogs could hope to ear. After what seemed an eternity the test was complete and a remark was added to the test form – 'Loud fire engine in drill yard!'

    And now to the Grand Finale – the Chester Step Test. Step up, step down in time to the beeps on the tape. The speed of the beeps increases every two minutes and at the same time my heart rate is checked and I have to give an assessment of how diffcult I'm finding the task – Very, very easy to F**k me, I'm shagged out!

    Time to stop and have a graph drawn of my efforts. Good and only one point from being Excellent. Not bad for a 40 something…

    Seems only right and proper that I should celebrate tomorrow with a Tesco breakfast and a bag of five custard doughnuts!

  • Time to buy a lottery ticket…

    Bugger all to do with firefighting this post but made everyone smile except me…

    Left work at lunchtime to toodle off down to the opticians. No sooner had I hit the mean streets of Lowestoft and a seagull, with laser guided precison, crapped on me from a long, shallow dive.

    One hit to the collar of my shirt, another on the shoulder, two hits to my left leg, a shoe and a nice little dollop on my mobile.

    So straight back into the office to get cleaned up before having a close encounter with the comely optician. I don't expect the aroma of bird shit up her left nostril would have been too pleasant…

    And so, with nice dark damp patches on the front of my trousers, I hurried off to the opticians.

  • Fire – Corton Cliffs, again…

    Someone is obviously getting some sort of perverse pleasure in setting multiple fires up on Corton Cliffs and last night, the added bonus, of a fire right down on the beach.

    And so, when the alerters went off last night, everything at Normanshurst was tipped out. Ladder 1 with Green Watch onboard had taken the initial call but very quickly made it Make Pumps 3 with the Unimog required too.

    I drove the ERT and we headed off towards Corton Road. Dennis Newton passed a message via talk through to get us to set into the hydrant that's situated just where the houses end on Corton Road and the Warren starts. It was eight lengths from us to Ladder 2 and then on from them up to Ladder 1.
    Before the the line of 70 was complete I started to trickle water into the hose to let it start on its way, therefore ensuring that water gets delivered more quickly once the 'water on' command is given.

    And then it was just a case of ensuring that I'd always got a good level in my tank and push water up the line at about 7 bar.

    Meanwhile two seats of fire were being attacked from the top of the cliffs with hosereels, 45's and beaters. Down on the beach, 'Billy' and Rachael were getting to grips with the fire down there from our very own ship of the desert – the Unimog.

    So for around two hours I was on my tod, pumping water to the 'action' about 300 metres away.

    My boredom was alleviated by the arrival of three recruits from the course that's underway at Normanshurst. They'd come to see what sort of job we'd got and see the Fire Service in action – or in my case, inaction!

    As they seemed interested in what was happening I told them all I knew. And then, after a full two minutes, they knew as much as me!

    Finally got back on station as the clock struck twelve – midnight that is… Crawled into bed at 1 – night, night…

  • Fire in stables – Make Pumps 3

    I really need to get out more often!

    Last night I sat at home watching the Eurovision Song Contest (the first time in years – honest!) and almost enjoyed the spectacle. I'd made it though all 26 entries without falling asleep – an achievemnet worthy of some sort of trophy in itself!

    The bouncy and far too happy Russian hosts had just opened the voting when my alerter got my vote by singing its own little tune.

    Over at the station I ripped the tip sheet from the printer and saw we were off to a fire in some stables and there were probably horses trapped inside. With a crew of six we headed out off towards Blundeston not really sure of what we'd find.

    Cheesey put Ladder 2 in the fend off position behind Ladder 1 and we set about getting our tank of water dumped into Ladder 1. A quick glance at the brick built stable block was enough to register that there were flames pouring out at each end and along the roof.

    I then ran out a line of 45, using three lengths to ensure we'd got some spare to play with. Unfortunately we couldn't put water through this line as the only water left was in Ladder 1 and this was supplying the hosereels.

    A good source of water was found when we were told that a house about 150 metres away had got an outdoor swimming pool. Four firefighters set off with the LPP (Lightweight Portable Pump) followed by others carrying hard suction and lengths of 70 (myself included).

    A hydrant had also been found, some distance away, outside Blundeston Prison. And by now the ERT (NT06) had arrived and dumped it's tank into Ladder 2. So I went back to the branch on the 45 I'd run out ready for a drop or two of water. We were then pulled out to don BA as a large section of the roof was made of corrugated asbestos. And with plenty of these nasty little fibres flying about you don't want to breathing too much of them in.

    Steve 'Dobbie' Hollington (White Watch) and I got our sets on and returned to the front of the stables – Dobbie on the hosereel and me on the 45. Other teams were fighting the fire from the rear of the stables.

    And that was pretty much all my involvement. I needed to get back to Lowestoft and was able to swap with Mel Buck who'd brought out tea and coffee in the station van. Unfortunately the crews didn't get back to Normanshurst until well after 1am this morning.

    So I'd missed all the voting on the Eurovision but was glad to hear that our entry had come a creditable fifth. And this is the last time I'll admit to having watched the Eurovison Song Contest…

    Forgot to mention that all the horses were safe.

    Rumour has it that one of the horses has a serious smoking habit and dropped a lighted match while trying to light his roll up.

  • Firefighters rescue rave dummies…

    The retained firefighters at Normanshurst had a somewhat extended BA drill last night. We were also covering the town as Green Watch had taken the Water Rescue van (NT0V) and were off up the river having a paddle about.

    The scenario saw Ladder 2 (NT02) followed by the ERT (NT06) tip out to a fire in a disused warehouse that was staging a rave. There were multiple persons reported and the added bonus of cylinders stored in an adjacent outbuilding.

    I was driving Ladder 2 and we pulled up short of the drill yard which was already heaving with a Recruits Course (now known as Approved to Ride) and some of our guys playing with the new Tirfor winch (the TU32 for all you winching experts!).

    First job was to get the ground monitor set up to deluge the outbuilding. Three lengths of 70 were run out to this and three lengths of 70 run out from the hydrant to Ladder 2. Water on to the monitor. At the same time as the monitor was being got to work the hosereel was being extended, giving us a working length of 120m – enough to get from Ladder 2, across the drill yard and right round inside the 'disused warehouse' – the smokehouse. Then it was the covering jet consisting of three or maybe four lengths of 45. And, if this was a real incident, as pump operator I'd have been putting back radio messages too..

    I was somewhat detached from the action and could only watch from 100m away as BA teams were committed to the 'warehouse'. Then, right in my line of sight, one of the drill yard flashing red lights started up, accompanied by the turnout alarm. The four of us that were riding Ladder 1 – myself, Denis Newton, Pete Brown and Richard 'Shambles' Lambert – ran back to the appliance bay with me heading for the printer and the tip sheet. What feat of heroics were we about to perform? What blazing inferno were we about to valiantly extinguish? None by the looks of it. Automatic Fire Alarm (AFA) at a local carpet warehouse. But you never know. Just because it's an AFA doesn't mean that it isn't, in Denis' vernacular, 'going like a Bastard!'

    Within a few minutes we had pulled up at the carpet warehouse and there was no immediate sign of fire. Rather suspiciously, there was a van parked outside belonging to an alarm company. And, sure enough, an alarm engineer sheepishly stuck his head out of the door to see what all the excitement was. False Alarm, engineer working on system…

    Back to Normanshurst and pick up where we left off.

    The only two BA wearers still to go in were myself and Shambles. We were then starting to don up when the turnout alarm sounded yet again. While struggling to free myself from my BA set, the crew for Ladder 1 was rejigged so that we could get our wear in.

    I went as team leader with a brief to enter on the ground floor, follow the right hand wall until we found the stairs and then take these to the first floor. From there conduct search and rescue off the left hand wall.

    A gauge check just before we enter the smoke filled 'warehouse' and then in till we found the stairs. Made quick progress up the stairs and with enough hosereel on the first floor we started our search. The first room we entered was a bathroom – now what a bathroom was doing in this 'disused warehouse' I don't know. After a bit of fumbling and back tracking, we located the toilet door. I think this had previously been hidden behind a cupboard. But once that cupboard had landed on my foot the door to the toilet became more obvious!

    And here was our first casualty, stuck behind the toilet door. Now why is it that it's always the big buggers that collapse in the bog? I squeezed into the toilet and started to push the casualty out to Shambles. A quick radio message to BAECO and we made our way out.

    With the casualty outside we checked out pressure and were both on 140bar and made the decision to re-enter and continue the search.

    We moved quickly back to where we had found our casualty and resumed the search. In and out of a number of rooms until we came to a room with armchairs and other items of furniture. Shambles had gone out to the side of me to maximise our search area and found a casualty on the floor, just below a window. Message back to BAECO and retrace our steps – Shambles carrying the casualty and me bringing out the hosereel and branch. Both of us were now down to 90bar so time to call it a day.

    With five of our number out on Ladder 1 it fell to us remaining to make up all the hose, the hosereel and service the BA sets. Time for the more elderly amongst us to take a breather…

    As usual when we are doing something practical, the time flies by. And it was a good drill, made to be a lifelike as possible, even down to the music blaring out at this rave gone wrong.

    Next week we have a lecture to look forward to all about sewers and silos – I can just feel the excitement building!