Alerter - the firefighters blog

Alerter website takes shape...

Take a sneak preview at the new Alerter website...

You can view our latest shouts and try out our Desktop Alerter and even install it on your PC. 

More bits and pieces will be added to the site soon.

And to help us keep the site going and add further developments, feel free to click on those lovely Google adverts. It won't cost you a penny but we get a few brass farthings to help run the website.

Thank you...

RTC brings Beccles to a standstill...

Not for the first time, I thought to myself, "My alerter is going to go off soon", and it did! How does that happen? Maybe it's a sixth sense, maybe I picked up the vibes or maybe I'm a sad git who spends too much time wondering when his alerter is going to go off next!

Anyway, it did go off about thirty seconds after me thinking it would. This took me by surprise and I spent the next few seconds (feels like minutes) faffing around getting my car key, mobile, turning lights off and then bimbling down the stairs from my office.

I was third in, behind Greg and Mel and found we were heading to an RTC on George Westwood Way in Beccles. I was driving and we were taking Ladder 1. The PRT with White Watch onboard were already on their way and Beccles booked mobile straight after us.

Only a few hundred yards along Normanston Drive and we picked up the tailback of traffic making its way through Oulton Broad. Driving a fire engine down the middle of the road on blues and two's really is the only way to get around town! As if by magic the traffic parts, fanning out to the roadside. But there'll always be the one (usually more) that either fails to see you (now why would you ever bother to use a rear view mirror?), panics so jams on the brakes in the most ridiculous of places or panics and just keeps poodling along like they haven't a care in the world.

Our first culprit was the latter. All oncoming traffic was pulling out of our way but this driver that I was trying to overtake just kept going... And when they did pull over, they still kept their speed up, making it difficult for me to accelerate past them before the roundabout near the Wherry Hotel. Predictably, a barrage of Anglo-Saxon terms were muttered by members of the crew, while I tried to keep calm as the red mist can be a dangerous wee beasty...

Out past The Flying Dutchman, Rookery Park Golf Club and through the notorious Barnby Bends, we were making good progress towards Beccles. By now the Beccles pump had committed to the incident and shortly after put back an informative message. It was a three vehicle RTC with three persons trapped. The ambulance crews were assessing the casualties and Beccles started to stabilise the vehicles while waiting for the PRT and us to arrive.

A few minutes later and we were heading down George Westwood Way and could see the incident up ahead, level with the Focus DIY store.

Two elderly casualties were being attended to by ambulance personnel and although they were still in their car, they weren't physically trapped. After examining the couple the ambulance crew allowed them to get out of the now shorter car.

The focus of our attention was the small van that had been at the front of this three vehicle RTC. The female driver had got suspected leg injuries and was complaining of back / neck pain. As there was no immediate hurry to remove the lady, the decision was taken to cut the drivers seat to allow it to be dropped back, putting the lady on to a long board in the back of the van and then out through the rear (the rear doors having been removed to improve access). This was the option preferred over cutting the roof off.

And, as is usual with RTC's, it's suddenly all over. The lady was removed to the ambulance, we made up all our gear and then headed off back towards Lowestoft.

Because the Police had closed the road at the Morrisons roundabout, there was an enormous queue of traffic in both direction on the Beccles bypass (A146). Traffic couldn't flow over the roundabout because motorists were stopping to be told by the PC that the road was closed and that they would need to try an alternative route. As we headed back to Lowestoft the traffic was backed up as far as the Worlingham roundabout - some two miles along the bypass.

While we'd been out, Ladder 2 had picked up an AFA at Next in Lowestoft followed by an RTC out near Somerleyton. This was a persons trapped that needed a speedy extrication. Two Norfolk pumps were sent over the border to assist Ladder 2.

So, all week we have nothing and then the retained firefighters get three shouts in just over half an hour. Strange but true!

Mumbai firefighters at work...

We've all seen heard of the terrible events in Mumbai, India. Many people have died in a set of co-ordinated terrorist attacks.

And in the middle of it all the emergency services are just doing their job...

The picture below shows Mumbai firefighters pitching a 13.5 metre ladder to effect the rescue of people trapped in this hotel.

Al comes up trumps with his CMMI drill...

Just a week ago myself and Nubbs (Paul Newberry) had a less then brilliant BA wear on board a disused naval vessel in Lowestoft Docks.

This Tuesday's drill night would give us a chance to redeem ourselves.

We were going to be drilling with Green Watch from Normanshurst, giving Al Soards the chance to take control of a drill, as he would have to in his upcoming CMMI (Crew Manager, Managing Incidents) course. The big difference with this drill was that Al would have three pumps under his command whereas on the CMMI you only ever use one pump.

Ladder 1 was mobilised to an AFA at a 'childrens home' (the smoke house) and everything else would unfold as a normal incident would. Once Al arrived with Ladder 1 he was able to quickly establish that there was a fire and that anywhere between 5 and 7 children were unaccounted for.

Al immediately escalated the incident to persons reported, which effectively makes the incident a Make Pumps 3 plus you would get an ambulance mobilised too.

A few minutes later Ladder 2 was mobilised (giving the sort of time delay that occurs when we get called in by our alerters). And straight after that we mobilised in the PRT.

When we arrived in the drill yard there was plenty of activity with hosereels out, a covering jet and BAECO being set up.

Myself and Nubbs were briefed that we would shortly be committed to the first floor of the 'childrens home' carrying out search and rescue. We set to work dragging a hosereel out to the base of the external staircase and then extending this to ensure we would have enough to complete our alloted task.

By this time the BA team on the ground floor had found and extinguished the 'fire' and had also located casualties. A second BA team (Andy 'Cheesey' Armes and Rachael 'Princess' O'Connell) were then committed to the ground floor carrying out search and rescue and then proceeding up to the first floor.

Now that the 'fire' was out, Nubbs and I made our way up to the first floor, ready to get on with our brief. We made sure we had at least two lengths of hosereel (40m plus) up on the external landing, enough to comfortably see us round the first floor. Then it was door entry procedures, a gauge check and then into the smoke and darkness. We were taking the left hand wall and Nubbs made his way into the gloom while I pulled in plenty of hosereel.

Within a couple of minutes we were in a room at the back of the property. While Nubbs stayed on the wall I moved out to his right to sweep across the middle of the room. Nubbs found a casualty behind a sofa which he offloaded to me, ready for us to make our exit. We did a quick sweep of the immediate area, just in case there was another casualty close by and then started to retrace our steps. I contacted BAECO to inform them that we had found a casualty and that we were heading out.

In no time we were out into the chill night air and making our way to the external staircase. Backwards down the stairs and report to BAECO with the casualty. It was then that we found out that BAECO hadn't received our messages - so a change of handheld radio and ready for a new brief.

Al instructed us to continue from where we had left off, still doing search and rescue, until we reached the head of the internal stairs. As we were about to enter the building we met up with Cheesey and Princess who were on their way out. They had searched up the stairs and round the other half of the first floor to what we were doing.

Back into the smoke and quck progress to where we had found our casualty. We finished this room and headed into a small bedroom containing a cot. Searching the cot, Nubbs found a 'small child' under the blanket. Again, a quick sweep of the room, under the cot, call up BAECO (they could hear me this time) and hotfoot it out of the building again.

Once down at BAECO the drill was complete. Five casualties (all of them) had been found and brought out of the building.

Everyone was upbeat and all felt they had performed fairly well. Once all the kit was made up and BA sets serviced, Al did his debrief of the drill. He told us of the scenario he was presented with and how the whole thing unfolded. Because of the number of persons reported he had put in an assistance message for Make Pumps 5 and also requested additional ambulances. The debrief was good, filling in the blank bits that we were unaware of and also explaining why things were done, when they were done.

Then it was over to Pete Gray for his overview of the drill. Both Pete and Andy English (Watch Manager of Green Watch) were suitably impressed with how Al handled the drill and for the way in which we all took a 'full and active part', showing good team work and plenty of enthusiasm. Al was also praised for the way in which he handled all the reources he had to hand. Normally, CMMI drills only use one pump. Al had three pumps at his disposal and used them very well...

Hang on a second while we all pat each other on the back. Ah, that feels better!

And after last weeks debacle, it was good to have a decent BA wear, complete our task and take part in a well run drill.

Almost made a Tuesday evening enjoyable...

Suffolk Fire and Rescue take delivery of new ERT!

What a spooky pic!

Just take a look at this pic. It's a TV that caught fire after a candle was left on top - possibly a tea-light from the round mark.

But take a look at the 'boney hand' effect caused by another candle that was on top of the telly...

Click on the pic for the larger version.

 

Flat fire in Lowestoft

Date: 15th November 2008
Time: 0101
Type: Smoke from flat
Address: London Road North, Lowestoft
Initial Attendance: Normanshurst 01 and 02
Final Attendance: Normanshurst 05

My slumbers were shattered by the shrill call of that blessed alerter!

I made it across Normanston Drive, narrowly avoiding being mown down by Ladder 1 as it headed off into town.

We followed a few minutes later with the idea of going down Old Nelson Street as this runs behind London Road North and some of the flats have entrances from there. However, we could see Ladder 1 in London Road North and I doubled back to join them. There were no visible signs of fire or smoke in this area and we were getting conflicting reports of where the incident might actually be situated.

Ladder 1 with White Watch on board looped back through town one way while we went in the opposite direction towards Old Nelson Street again. We pulled up next to the rear entrance of the London Road flats and Dennis went off to investigate. Just a few seconds later and he was calling for two BA, BAECO and a hosereel. It was then PTO in for the pump, start running the hosereel out (and extending it from its normal 60m to 120m), laying out a covering jet (consisting of four lengths of 45) and water on to the hosereel.
The Watch had also arrived and lent a hand getting all the above done plus lighting, tool kits etc.

Mel and Cheesey were committed in BA and found two separate seats of fire which were quickly extinguished.

The job had gone to Make Pumps 3, presumably to provide enough BA wearers should things have got out of hand.

And that was that...

Time to make up everything and head off home.

As is always the case, I never seem to be able to get back to sleep after a night-time shout. And last night was no different. I can guarantee that I'll nod off in the middle of England's rugby match this afternoon, probably the only thing on the box today that I want to watch.

Charge of The Light Brigade

Today a car ended up in the river at Lowestoft - off the edge of the quay and into the dock.

Cue Armageddon, Charge of The Light Brigade or anything else mildly dramatic you can think of!

As I careered into the drill yard I could see lights up for Ladder1, Ladder 2, the PRT and the Unimog - a full house for Normanshurst. All those lights lit up at once was causing a drain on the National Grid!

There were firefighters heading in all directions and it took a while to find out that it was a water rescue in Lowestoft Dock. Normally water rescue will get a pump and the Unimog from Normanshurst plus the next nearest water rescue team - Princes Street, Ipswich on this occasion. But today the PRT and Ladder 2 were also being sent. Add to this a gaggle (is that the right collective noun) of officers and the scene is set for mayhem down by the river...

I was driving the PRT and we turned out directly behind Ladder 1 for the drive into town. I think I've mentioned in an earlier post that it's not very often we get two pumps turning out together - what a spotters delight that would have been to have seen that today!

And that's as exciting as it got. The car didn't have anybody on board and so the cavalry were returned to their various home stations.

At the same time as all this was happening Control were dealing with an incident on Felixstowe Docks and a cooker fire in Kelsale (near Saxmundham). I think they'd had a hectic half hour or so marshalling pumps and resources around the county.

Now it's back to work, brain in gear (now there's a joke) and try to get some work done...

The Titanic stood a better chance!

Tuesday night is Drill Night. The night when retained firefighters in Waveney either spend two hours listening to a lecture on something completely unrelated to what we do or, perhaps, an evening spent at an ADO's (Assistant Divisional Officers) exercise.

This week we were treated to the latter. Four pumps were involved (two from Normanshurst, Beccles and Clifton Road) plus the Forward Control Vehicle from Beccles.

Many hours (hopefully) of meticulous planning had gone into organising this exercise on a disused naval landing ship in Lowestoft harbour. The scenario was that a disgruntled matelot (sailor to us landlubbers) had used some petrol to set fire to the Captains cabin before doing something unspeakable to the First Mate (this is the Navy) in his cabin. The added bonus in the scenario was that the ship was packed to the gunwhales (another nautical term!) with ammunition.

Myself and Nubbs (Paul Newberry) were tasked as BA wearers to make our way up to the Captains cabin, extinguish the fire (a blue flashing lamp) and then conduct a search of the other cabins, particularly the First Mate's.

Things started badly when, after all its hosereels had been run out and tons of kit taken off it, we were told that the PRT was stiil on the run and couldn't be used in such a pivotal role. So, everything gets made up and the Beccles pump takes the place of the PRT.

Eventually we get committed in BA. After checking four shower cubicles, the heads (Navy speak for the bogs), a few cupboards, the galley and a raking metal ladder to nowhere, we were informed that we were slightly off track! Bollocks! Once we found the correct raking metal ladder we were like rats up a drainpipe, into the Captains cabin, 'extinguished' the fire and searched the bathroom and sleeping cabin. And that was it for us. Time to make an exit as we were approaching our time of whistle (indicating that we have about 50bar in our cylinders).

Well, there's nothing like a good BA wear... and that was nothing like a good BA wear.

And the shame and ignominy doesn't end there. Off we go to the FCV for a debrief (for 'debrief' read 'bollocking') from the ADO. It was suggested that we should be fully aware of our brief and therefore the route through the ship to be able to carry out that brief. As far as myself and Nubbs were concerned, we were fully aware of the brief given to us. But whether, Chinese Whispers style, that brief had changed by the time we 'understood' it, whether we got the wrong end of the stick or it was just one of those things - who knows. But the upshot was that we headed off into that ship with a route in mind, gleaned from the information presented to us. As the ADO observed, this has presented a training need - hopefully not just for me and Nubbs but for everyone involved in the exercise - Officers, JO's and firefighters alike.

I like to think that I'm pretty good when it comes to wearing BA. I enjoy it and relish leading the team. Our performance on this exercise was out of the ordinary - it's never this bad. I've done exercises aboard ships before and all went very well. But this time it was different. Perhaps I had a bad night or maybe there were other influences playing their part... I think the look on my face summed up how I felt about the evening proceedings - thunderous, murderous, pissed off or all of the above!

One seasoned individual summed it all up when, in response to the ADO saying that the whole thing had gone well, said, "He must have been at a different exercise then!"

Am now going to apply for Gold membership of the Grumpy Old Man's Club...

Learn and Live - The New Season

Well, the Learn and Live team for Lowestoft College is growing (slightly) and we're into the new season of presentations.

This hard-hitting road safety campaign is aimed fairly and squarely at the age group you'll see in local colleges - 17 to 24 year olds.

Lowestoft College has very kindly invited us back to carry on where we left off at the end of the last academic year. We've set up camp for two weeks in the Student Common Room. This location is ideal as we leave our display boards up and there is always a great deal of interest in what we're doing - faces pressed up to the windows and being asked whether their group will get to see the presentation.

Since we started at the college back in February of this year we have seen around 2500 students. Over this two week period we will add another 400 or so to that total. Not bad going, even if I say so myself... You've got to hope that it will have an impact and that it will change, if only slightly, the driving habits of these young college students.

Hopefully Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service are aware of and appreciate the work being put in not just at Lowestoft College but at other educational establishments around the county. It certainly ticks a lot of boxes when the Audit Commission come calling! But more importantly, we hope it really will make a difference and help to reduce the carnage that occurs all too frequently on our roads.

As usual with anything that's not run of the mill, us doing these presentations has its detractors. Some may feel it's not the best use of resources or that it puts the availability of front line appliances in jeopardy. I used to be like that. But having witnessed the effect we have on these students, it can only be a good thing. Surely it's far better to talk to someone, make them a safer driver than leave it all to chance and then, perhaps, be battling to cut them free from a tangled mess of a car with a life in the balance.