Category: Shouts

Date: 8th October 2008
Time: 1630
Type: RTC, HGV on side, person trapped
Address: Horn Hill, Lowestoft
Initial Attendance: Normanshurst 05, 01 and 02

I was actually at home when the alerter went off – had come home early to do a few bits of painting (DIY not watercolours).

Was jogging up the road when I could hear my name being called. The voice was faint, almost inaudible, but with a definite out-of-breathiness to it. I looked round and could see Dennis pedalling hard for the station. "Put my tally up, put my tally up", came wafting up the road. I waved my acknowledgement as I dodged the traffic on Normanston Drive.

The tip sheet said it was an HGV on its side, person trapped, located at the Asda roundabout at Horn Hill on Lowestoft.

As we went over the bascule bridge traffic was backing up in the two lanes approaching Asda. I had to take it pretty slowly in the oncoming lane hoping that approaching traffic would see us coming. Wrong way round the first roundabout to then be greeted with the sight of an articulated lorry on its left hand side on the Lings roundabout.

The lorry was carrying a forty foot container holding rolls of paper from SCA Recycling on Victoria Road. Witnesses said the driver wasn't driver quickly as he negotiated the roundabout. His load must have shifted as he turned right causes the whole thing to roll to the left. That's 22 tons of paper plus the lorry, making a total of around 39 tons. Luckily no one was standing on the pavement where the truck ended up.

Nothing we can do as heavy lifting is required. We went back to Normanshurst on standby while Green Watch were at the scene waiting for the crane to do its bit.

And to think, on Tuesday night we had a lecture from George Moran all about HGV RTC's. We'd all been muttering that we never have anything like that around here!

We had a shout this afternoon to a car leaking petrol. Nothing unusual in that you might think.

But today was the first time at Normanshurst that we had encountered a new Fire Ground Order (FGO) that came into effect on the 1st September.

The new FGO states that two pumps will be mobilised to any incident that is on or near a roadway when that road is a 'fast' road (speeds in excess of 40mph). But because Control will never be able to know the speed of any particular road, the FGO will cover every incident that is on or near a road.

This may seem excessive but it is done for a good reason. The extra personnel can then ensure the safety of the firefighters working on the incident by directing or stopping traffic or even using the extra pump in the 'fend off' position.

And this all came about because of increasing worries about firefighter safety especially after the tragic death of a Stevenage firefighter (Watch Manager Paul Mallaghan). Paul was attending a car fire on the A1 when he and a colleague were struck by a VW Golf.

[Sentence deleted…]

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!

Date: 30th August 2008
Time: 1720
Type: Garage
Address: Winnipeg Road, Lowestoft
Initial Attendance: Normanshurst 01
Final Attendance: Normanshurst 01 and 02

This was the second shout of the day for us. I'd missed the first one, only having been in the station a few minutes before to sign out for a couple of hours. This one is known as Sod's Law. Most Saturdays at noon I'll be at home but today I was taking the present Mrs. Carter out for a meal at the Village Maid in Lound.

Just after five I heard the substitute Ladder 1 go out on a shout and I got that feeling in the water that we might be going too. Sure enough, within about ten minutes, the alerter kicked off. I was a bit slow out of the blocks so Cheesey beat me to the drivers slot.

When we arrived at the junction of Winnipeg Road and St.Peters Street we were met by Phil Johnston valiantly trying to get a water supply for Ladder 1. He'd got the hydrant in and was about to run the first of around four lengths of 70 up Winnipeg Road to the pump. We helped with this and then got hose ramps out for traffic going along St.Peters Street.

Most people slow right down when they see these minor obstructions in the road. But not long after we had placed the hose ramps we were treated to the sight of a taxi taking off as he hit the ramps too fast! [Sentence deleted…]

For the next half hour or so we watched as traffic negotiated the hose ramps – some stalling as they reached the top of these mammoth little bumps, others missing them completely, while some just sat there looking at them and wondering what to do next!

The fire had been in what looked like a derelict garage at the back of Winnipeg Road. The whole place was overgrown and full of junk. It took an extended hosereel and two lines of 45 to give the garage and the surrounding pile of rubbish a good drink.

Meanwhile, out on the road, we were still watching the traffic. It's lucky there weren't any shunts as people keep moving forward but have to crane their heads owl-like to see what's happening. And even just standing about making sure no one drags the hose with them up the road finds us sweating like porkers. Not surprising when, in addition to our fire kit, we're wearing hi-vis jackets – a bit like wrapping yourself up in clingfilm!

Back to the station just after six to clean some hose and then off home…

No, that’s not the start of some corney joke… The answer is four. For what seemed the first time in absolutely ages, my alerter went off while I was at home, not in the middle of the night and not when I’m on leave!

Jogging towards the station I could see the PRT was tipping out and when I saw all three turnout lights I up, I assumed we were all going to an RTC in this neck of the woods. As I was first in I took a look at the printer to see where all the action was. The tip sheet didn’t show NT05 (the PRT), just NT01 and NT02 to smoke issuing from a flat on Kirkley Cliff in the south of Lowestoft. This meant that Clifton must be out with the PRT otherwise they would have been the other pump at our shout.

So, now I was driving Ladder 1 as first pump in to a fire in a four storey building. And with it not being our normal pump (we usually take Ladder 2), my brain is racing to make sure I know where everything is and the idiosyncracies (what?) of Ladder 1. If anyone wants a definition of that long word just drop me an e-mail!

Now the drive through the early evening rush hour. Denmark Road towards the railway station is always good. Outside of the queueing traffic, wrong side of all the islands, a quick shimmy through the traffic lights, a few choice words at a motorist who is more concerned with his phone call than moving out of our way and over the bascule bridge.

We pull up outside the property number we’ve been given but there’s no sigh of fire or anybody waiting for us. Then, up ahead, I spot a man standing in the middle of the road waving frantically. When we pull up there’s a male casualty, face blackened feeling slightly worse for taking a few lungfuls of smoke.

Two BA off, pump engaged, hosereel coming off, the BA team go under air and make their way up to the third floor. Luckily the chip pan is out and the level of activity suddenly drops dramatically.

I think the guy that had waved at us had probaly narrowly missed being run down by the PRT and Clifton as they responded just prior to us to an incident up at Pakefield Cliffs. All, I can assume is that this guy is fast on his feet and was able to jump out of the way pretty sharpish! 

Now, if the technology works, this post should appear on my Facebook profile… Here goes…

Date: 24th June 2008
Time: 2338
Type: Fire
Address: Camp Road, Lowestoft
Initial Attendance: Normanshurst 01
Final Attendance: Normanshurst 02

These night time shouts are getting to be a habit now. I, along with all the others, need my beauty sleep. And judging by what I saw staring back at me from the mirror the other morning, I need it more than most!

My finely tuned hearing picked up the reserve Ladder 1 going out on a shout. As the alerter hadn't gone off I felt rather smug as I rolled over and promptly fell asleep. It could only have been a matter of minutes before my alerter was jumping around out in the hall.

Usual routine but not first across to the station. Denis was still there, with writers cramp, after filling in a raft of forms in relation to the little mishap earlier in the evening with Ladder 1.

When we arrived at Camp Road you could see that the fire was in the centre of the complex of buildings that occupy this corner site. Danny O'Neill and Rudi Mann had entered the building wearing BA and extinguished the fire. The fire had taken hold on a stairway and had advanced up to the first floor of what is an empty warehouse.

I went into the building with Dennis, Al and Shambles to hit hot spots and monitor the situation with the Thermal Image Camera. We had to be careful as we moved about on the first floor as the floor was very unsafe – we had already had the odd foot and even leg disappear through the flooring!

And that was about it… Another disturbed night. Dozing off on the settee is a distinct possibly this evening.

Date: 17th June 2008
Time: 2007
Type: Cow in ditch
Address: Marsh Lane, Carlton Colville, Lowestoft
Initial Attendance: Normanshurst 02 and 06 (Unimog)

It was Tuesday evening, so it's Drill Night and, of course, another lecture! Pete Gray was half way through a lecture on radiation and the new kit we are getting to detect it, when the bells went.

Our crew on Ladder 2 were first pump out as Red Watch were having a tour of a ship in Lowestoft harbour.

It was nice to get a shout but there was a collective groan when we learnt it was to a cow stuck in a ditch!

We drove as far as we could down Marsh Lane, parking at the railway crossing and then getting the Unimog plus a load of extra gear across the line and onto the track that leads down to the marshes.

We were led to the stranded cow by a guy who'd been out walking his dog when he spotted the unfortunate animal.

Gradually our plan evolved. A hearth sheet was laid out on the bank of the ditch to give us some purchase (as the whole area was muddy and brimming with cow dung!). The Unimog was positioned face on to the ditch so that we could, if necessary, use its winch to pull the cow out.

After a bit of pushing and shoving (in the style of James Herriot) Al Soards was able to work a strop under the cow's body, just in front of its rear legs. Unfortunately getting the front strop under was so easy. However with Rudi Mann and Phil Cornford from Red Watch togged up in their dry-suits they were able to work more closely to the cow. They discovered its front legs were tucked right up under its body and this was why we were having difficulty getting the strop under.
So, to create some space we heaved on the line attached to the rear strop, basically lifting the cows backside up into the air. This did the trick and the front strop was positioned successfully.

Then it was down to brute force as we pulled at front and rear and hauled the cow sideways out of the mud. After a short breather (for the cow and us) we all pulled again and she made it, unsteadily, to her feet.

Job done…

Ten firefighters, an RSPCA inspector and the farmer plus half a dozen onlookers and one bewildered cow, glad that the whole episode was now over. Just a case of getting all the gear back on the Unimog including its coating of glutinous mud and ever so slightly minging cow shit!
The light was fading as we trudged back to the railway line and Ladder 2. Just time to rinse off the worst of the muck and then back to Normanshurst for 40 minutes of washing and scrubbing – our kit, tools, fire engine, Unimog and us!

All that for a cow. Just goes to prove that we are still a nation of animal lovers…

I'm hoping to get some pics on here soon. One of our small but appreciative audience was armed with a camera and took plenty of photos. I'll try and lay my hands on some of those. You never know, there may be one of us all falling on our backsides when the rope on the halter broke as we were doing a bad impression of a pub tug-o-war team!

And this was Little Pete's (Pete Brown) first shout in charge. Much more memorable than an Automatic Fire Alarm… Not exactly a baptism of fire, more like a baptism in mud!

Date: 14th May 2008
Time: 2055
Type: Kitchen
Address: Clapham Road Central, Lowestoft
Initial Attendance: Normanshurst 01 and 02

Shouts are like buses because you can wait ages for one and then three come along together…

And that’s just what happened last night.

I’d just sat down in front of my PC, trying to get myself motivated to do update one of my customers’ website. One sip of my tea, fingers poised above the keyboard and my alerter decides it’s time for me to go for a jog over to the station.

I think this shout had come through simply as ‘house’, which can cover a multitude of sins. The address should have been the giveaway – Stanley Street, Lowestoft. And sure enough it turned out to be ‘false alarm, good intent’ – someone had seen smoke coming out of a building and naturally thought the place was on fire – except that it was actually the smokehouse on the corner of Stanley Street and Raglan Street!

So within 20 minutes I was back home and sipping my luke warm brew, feeling even less inclined to start any work. I don’t think it was much over half an hour later and we’re off again. This time it’s a kitchen fire on Clapham Road Central.

We arrived at the incident a few minutes after White Watch to find that one BA team were in the property having dealt with a developing fire in the kitchen. Both myself and Howard Clark stood by as the Emergency BA Team and got used to clear the kitchen around the area of the fire. This was just emptying cupboards and then removing them from the kitchen. We pulled a small area of the ceiling down just to ensure that the fire hadn’t took hold on the joists above.

Left the station just after 2200hrs to get the third and final shout of the evening less than an hour later. This time it was to a confirmed fire at the Birds Eye factory in Lowestoft. Thankfully plenty turned in, so I was surplus to requirements and able to get off home to my bed…

With it being a Tuesday evening, the great and the good of Normanshurst retained firefighters were congregated ready for parade. But with two minutes to go the bells went for two pumps.

A sight rarely seen other than at Princes Street in Ipswich – two pumps turning out at the same time – a spotters dream!

I was driving Ladder 2 and tucked ourselves in behind White Watch on Ladder 1 for a ‘we’ve got ourselves a convoy’ style drive to Lowestoft Railway Station.

And, as the title suggests, it was very much a case of ‘much ado about nothing’. Someone had set fire to some old furniture on waste ground behind Commercial Road, which borders onto railway property. Mind you, on the drive there, the pall of black smoke was quite impressive and it seemed we might have a proper job… Alas, no.

And that was that. We arrived back at Normanshurst in time to just miss knocking the new Deputy Chief Fire Officer over in the drillyard. As my old school reports used to say, "Ian must try harder!"

Date: 23rd April  2008
Time: 1045
Type: RTC
Address: A12, Lowestoft (junction with Blundeston Road)
Initial Attendance: Normanshurst 05, 01 and 02

Seems ages since our last shout… Always comes as a shock when your alerter goes off after such a long gap.

Anyway, got to the station after what seemed the slowest drive ever. People weren’t just sticking to the speed limit, they were halving it instead!

Blue Watch have taken the PRT (Normanshurst 05) and we take Ladder 1 (Normanshurst 01) with a crew of four. Mel Buck in charge, Pete Brown driving and myself and Al Soards riding BA.

There wasn’t anything to do when we arrived. A double decker bus had been rear ended by a private car. The back of the bus was crumpled and it was leaking something on to the road, so Al just added more of the absorbent mixture we carry to the sack full put down by Blue Watch.

The bus wasn’t in service at the time as it was on a test run with two mechanics who had only just finished some repairs on it… They’ll be putting in some overtime on it now!

And that’s about it. So there we were, primed and ready for action but, thankfully, we weren’t needed to cut the car driver free.