Saturday 14 September 2013

Fire! Fire!

On Thursday night, at our ‘Friends and Neighbours’ group at church, we had a visit from four members of the Blue Watch [Leicester Western] fire crew. It was very exciting to see the fire engine in the Church Car park and meet the men who serve on it. [no women on this team – although there are quite a few in the Leicester Service]

IMG_0769

Barbara and Gwen enjoyed climbing up inside the appliance

IMG_0774

IMG_0771

But I stopped to put on a helmet first

IMG_0773

Betty checked out the BA [Breathing Apparatus]

IMG_0775IMG_0776

IMG_0777IMG_0778IMG_0779

It was really quite heavy, and I found the mask oppressive. I really admire the crews who don this gear to try and rescue people from burning buildings.

We waved goodbye to the crew around 9.40pm. Within 3 hours, the Leicester Fire Services were called out to a house fire, in which a family died. Sadly it appears to have been a deliberate attack.

bbc fire

mercury fire report

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am praying for those affected by this tragedy in my city. It is something like this which makes me even more sad that a decision was passed in London [also on Thursday night] to close ten Fire Stations in our capital and make 550 staff redundant [here] I wonder how quickly they would have got this fire under control, if there hadn’t been appliances stationed nearby at Southwark

cuming2

Thank you Casper, Richard, Dave and Stan = not just for coming to talk to us about your work, and educate us about fire safety, but also for daily putting yourselves at risk for the benefit of others.

6 comments:

  1. Great post! That's awful re the closures. They do things like this and wonder at all the unemployment! Will pray for that family x

    ReplyDelete
  2. So basically, you all just wanted to get close to the firemen :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Totally agree with you about the closures - the village one here was under threat of closure last year until everyone rallied round and made the powers that be think again.

    The masks look terribly oppressive - I have only tried on the OH's CPAP machine breathing mask and couldn't cope with that on my face, so I don't know how the wonderful crews cope with those huge things.

    Very interesting post, Ang - thanks for sharing xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think I would have asked for a Fireman's Lift!!!
    Jane x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I WAS tempted, but decided it would be embarrassing, as I know I am heavier than I appear [according to my BMI I am actually classed as 'obese']

      Delete
    2. My chiropractor...thin as a rake and well over six feet tall is also classed as obese! Go figure.
      Jane x

      Delete

Always glad to hear from you - thanks for stopping by!
I am blocking anonymous comments now, due to excessive spam!