Alerter - the firefighters blog

Pets rescued from house fire in Lowestoft

I was quite looking forward to an evening in last night. After four nights out on the trot, the thought of slobbing out in front of the box seemed most appealing.

So, having tweeted for the last time, I was about to head for my hot date with the sofa when my little friend let loose and had me heading for the door instead.

Mel was already opening up the station, doing a fine impression of a caretaker, having been literally driving past the fire station when the alerters went off.

I was driving and we were being tipped out to reports of a fire in a tumble drier at an address in Seago Street. With a crew of six and Dennis in charge I pulled out on to Normanston Drive and set course for Seago Street, barely a mile away.

As we entered from the top of the road we could see Ladder 1 from Lowestoft South approaching from the bottom end. We met in the middle outside the affected property. Initially it didn't look like much was happening, then came the shout, "It's a job!".
Red Watch had already got two of their crew starting up in BA and Mel and Cheesey from our pump got ready to follow suit.

I ran back to our pump and brought the BA Entry Control board over for Shambles who was taking on the BAECO role. Then back to the pump to move it forward a few feet and then run a length of 70 from us to Ladder 1 (LS01), ready to supply them with water if they started to eat into their 1800 litres.

By now, both BA teams had been committed into the house, each with a hosereel jet. A 45 covering jet had already been placed just outside the front gate.

And then one of the BA wearers appeared at my side holding a grubby, bedraggled cat that was fighting for breath. With the cat laid on the pavement I rushed to get the first aid kit off the pump. Now I've seen this done on TV but now was my chance to administer Oxygen therapy to an animal. I soon had the mask held over the cats face, hoping that it was now getting a good dose of Oxygen. Stroking the cat seemed to calm it down and gradually its breathing got easier and I was able to remove the mask. It opened its eyes and slowly moved its head to take in the scene around it. Then it looked me straight in the eye and let out a plaintive meow...

While this was happening outside the BA teams had extinguished the fire which had spread from the tumble drier to an adjacent TV. They were also searching for a dog and another cat. It seems the cat made a sharp exit out of a broken window while the BA team were hitting the fire. The dog was found behind the front door. He wasn't there when the BA teams entered as they'd done the customary sweep behind the door. I think he saw the door was open and made a dash for it only to be caught behind the door as the BA teams came in. Luckily he must have been getting a blast of fresh air from the outside and, bizarrely, he came out on his lead, as good as gold, with one of the BA team looking like he was off for a walk in the park!

So, my quiet evening in didn't happen. But it felt good to see that almost lifeless cat pull through and be able to return it to its owner...

I am proud to say that stroking a lifeless pussy and bringing it to life isn't a bad way to spend a Friday evening. However, I should have called it a cat before saying the above to the present Mrs C!!

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And the award goes to...

Wednesday evening saw me showered, shaved and wearing my bestest suit, all in readiness for the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service Annual Awards Ceremony.

My employer, Access Auditors Ltd., would be receiving the Retained Employer Award - Bronze. This is to recognise that they have demonstrated excellent support to the Retained Duty System for over five years. And I was going to be collecting the award as, in true Hollywood style, our directors couldn't make it to the ceremony.

But fate and the roads of Ipswich meant that me and half of Green Watch nearly didn't make it.

I knew that Green Watch would be at the ceremony to receive a trophy and so I dropped into Lowestoft South with the idea of following them down to Ipswich.

Watta a mistaka to make!

The fail-safe, dodge all the traffic shortcut across rural Suffolk saved 10 minutes but added 15 in the process. And, with the clock ticking as on Countdown, I followed my leader along some roads that were just for buses, retraced our route on a number of occasions and, with the clock striking 7 I struck out on my own. Carter's in-built homing device kicked in and I soon found myself outside Endeavour House, marvelling at the number of people that were at this shindig.

Finally re-united with Green Watch and their partners before finding our places in the Atrium ready for the ceremony to start.

And for someone who has been known to have a jaded view of things, the whole evening was well run and was a great way for members of staff, the public and employers to get a pat on the back.

A tap on the shoulder indicated that it was time for me to stand as the citation for Access Auditors was read out. Then it was a brisk walk to the dais, shake hands with the Chief, a pic for the album and then back to my seat.

Green Watch picked up the Miles Hammond Trophy, presented for demonstrating excellence by an individual team during an incident. This was in recognition of the outstanding work the guys did at an RTC in Lowestoft back in February. Well done guys - it couldn't have gone to a nicer bunch (they did pay me to say that! 50p and a Pot Noodle...).

A group photo of all the award winners was taken after the ceremony and then everyone headed over to the buffet. And that's where I left the building. Even though I was starving I needed to get back to Lowestoft as the present Mrs. C was stranded until I got back. So with the rumbling of an empty stomach I left the glitz and glamour of Endeavour House and headed for home.

Thanks SFRS, I enjoyed the evening and the company are pretty chuffed too...

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Off to Ipswich...

I'm off to Ipswich this evening to take part in an award ceremony at Endeavour House.

And no, I'm not part of the cabaret. I'm there to pick up an award!

So, watch this space, and I'll hopefully be posting about the event and there may even be a pic or two...

Lowestoft will be well represented as the reprobates of Green Watch are heading south too! Just need to make sure I get to the buffet before them!

Mini tornado wreaks havoc in Lowestoft

Talk about omens... The sky turning black, the wind howling around the bungalow, the rain lashing down, hailstones rattling on the windows, a plague of locusts, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It was bad but not quite up to the last two!

All of this should have made me think that my peaceful Saturday morning was about to be shattered. No sooner had the thunderous pelting of the hail stopped than my own purveyor of noise joined in the fun.

So, shoes on and a dash across to the fire station just as the rain and hail eased off.

With the builders now moved in at Normanshurst we are all having to park on the front apron or use the new drive-thru in Bays 4 and 5. So, as first in, I had to open the small door in the appliance bay doors, crack open the bay doors in front of Ladder 1, unlock the door into the kit room and finally unlock my locker to kit my fire kit out! I don't think Normanshurst has ever had so many locks on so many doors...

Anyway, tip sheet says we're off to a car that has been struck by a tree and that there are two people trapped. In the back of my mind was an incident of a few years back where two people had been killed when a tree had fallen on to their car. Hopefully the outcome of this incident wouldn't be such a tragedy.

We were off to Denmark Road, barely a mile from the fire station. As we neared the incident we could see a trail of damage stretching from the roundabout near the Lake Lothing pub all the way to where the fallen tree lay across the road. Road signs had been bent over by flying debris, fencing and advertising hoardings had been scattered across a childrens play area.

I pulled up about 50m short of the tree where the road widened, leaving space for a paramedic or ambulance to get through. From here the car was barely visible amongst the mass of branches, the tree having fallen across a cycle way, two lanes of Denmark Road and just brushed the cars parked on the far side of the road.

With Jason I set about cutting back the branches with a bow saw, clearing an area around the drivers side of the car. Meanwhile Gary and John were setting up the Powershore on the passengers side to support the weight of the tree, stopping it from further crushing the car.

White Watch were busy with casualty care (one female passenger) and starting to remove the tailgate and seats, ready for a longboard extraction.

We were joined by a paramedic who took over casualty care and, by now, the tailgate was off and the back seats had been removed. Then, carefully, the passenger was moved on to the longboard and out through the open rear of the car.

Job done...

Just tidying up to do, cutting gear and hosereel away and leave the tree removal to the experts from the council.

And an hour and a half after tipping out we were back on station, unlocking this door, opening that one, then locking another - you get the picture...

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