London Firefighter

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We begin with one of the worst tragedies in recent years in the UK, Grenfell, the tower that light up London with fire. Edric wasn’t one of the first firefighters there and doesn’t claim to have been but he tells us of his experiences, the heart-breaking task he was asked to perform, a search for victims of the fire. I am that old that I actually chose the career of a ‘fireman’. Today’s term reflects the changing face of the service and its drive to secure ever more women into its ranks. But regardless of which label you use the ‘job’ had (and still retains) qualities which were exciting, demanding and extremely rewarding. Edric is a former London Firefighter serving in a number of different stations over thirteen years. In his book ‘Into The Fire’ we read about some of the tragedies that Edric has attended over the years and with some slightly light-hearted tales.

Is it like that now? “It’s not,” she says. But her seniority will afford some protection and I wonder how the experience differs for 18-year-old women joining the fire service today. “I am really confident that they wouldn’t have that same experience – because we’ve done so much work,” she says. “We know what the world is like and we are doing our best not just to change the fire service but society.” The facts are that the Grenfell Tower fire was all but extinguished when he arrived and the scene was relatively safe when he made his first entry. But these dreams need to be nurtured and protected from an early age by challenging conventional narratives. Personally, working within a profession where there are fewer women, I know first-hand that if youngsters don’t see people who look like them doing a certain job, then they are less likely to go for it. So, we need to work hard to recast our messages and the even the language we use with children to ensure we don’t inhibit broadening of their horizons.” Aynway, I wished for more stories of his life as a firefighter - I mean, certainly there have been many other interesting jobs he had to do during his watches but he doesn't tell us!

He was born in Kensington, West London and adopted at 6 weeks old and raised in Stepney & Poplar in London's East End. As a youngster he used to spend a lot of time at his local Fire Station inPoplar and held a desire to become a Firefighter when he was older. Career If it is something you’re interested in and you think you would be good at it, then go for it.” Modern Day Firefighting Register your interest. After you’ve registered, they’ll be in touch with helpful info about the recruitment process and likely recruiting dates. Be patient-you will be glad you were. Our main character is the author of the book himself and it's finally a book where you can really see how mentally damaged a firefighter can be. Sure, he's talking a lot about his feelings and the problems that bother him after jobs, but that's the life of many firefighters. Maybe a lot of people complain about it but I think it's important to show that a firefighter is vulnerable and with how many things they have to deal - sometimes even without the help of a supporting centre or so.

I Was a London Firefighter contains a host of factual narratives and fictional tales based loosely around personal experiences from individuals from the London Fire Brigade, ranging from the mid-19th century to present day. The book focuses on key historical events such as the IRA’s 20-year bombing campaign in London, the King’s Cross fire of 1987 and a compelling description on the 2017 Grenfell Tower Fire. Daylight brought a new appreciation of the unfolding tragedy. “It became increasingly difficult just looking at the building and still knowing there were people in there. The pressure we all felt to keep trying and doing our best was immense. In extreme situations such as Grenfell Tower, the local authority will dispatch a structural surveyor. But in the early hours of the morning one was not immediately available and Cotton had to make urgent decisions about whether to commit firefighters in the absence of that formal assessment. I think some of them did find it strange having a woman on the watch,” she said. “Some of them didn’t bat an eye lid, but I think maybe a few of them perhaps thought I wasn’t going to last very long.” UniformI did a dynamic risk assessment and we knew we were going to be doing things that were not following our normal procedures. Had we just followed standard fire brigade procedures, we would not have been able to commit firefighters in and conduct the rescues we did. Speaking at a time when just nine per cent of London Fire Brigade’s operational staff are women, Sue spoke of “the extra pressure” of being the first woman to do the role and why firefighting “is not just a job for a man.” The building had been a death-trap for the initial attending crews but was relatively safe and the fire was out by 10:30. The Brigade now employs 425 women in operational roles at various ranks– out of a total of 4, 545 operational staff.