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A day in the life of a West Yorkshire Firefighter...
Firefighters work a shift system of two days (9am – 6pm) then the following two nights (6pm-9am). There are four watches for each station – Blue, White, Red and Green.
In between incident calls, the station will run ‘typically’ as described below:
0850 – Arrive at station
0900 – Role call and update from Watch Manager
0905 – 0930 - Check appliances and equipment
0930 - 1100 - Drill period (update training, continuation training, new procedures)
1100 – 1115 - Tea break
1115 - Watch meeting with watch manager to discuss community fire safety focus for the day.
1130 – 1230 –Station work routine (standard tests, appliance maintenance, watch references, other station work)
1230 – 1330 – Dinnertime
1330 –1530 – CFS work (home fire safety checks, attendance at local events or other station work – hydrants, risk inspections and any outstanding work)
1530 – 1545 – Tea break
1545 – 1630 - CFS work (home fire safety checks, attendance at local events or other station work – hydrants, risk inspections and any outstanding work)
1630 – 1700 - Physical Training
1700 – 1800 - Appliance cleaning and general station tidy up, study time or stand down
1800 – Finish
However as an emergency service, attendance at emergency calls are the number one priority whilst on the fire station and everything stops when the alarm is sounded to attend an incident.
Here are the details of some incidents, and details of a home fire safety check that form part of the firefighters’ day:
10.09 – Fire Call - House fire.
10.14 – Arrive at property to find top floor bedroom well alight. Crews committed wearing breathing apparatus and carry hose reel equipment. Crews search the building through the thick black smoke, climbing the stairs and locating the bedroom, all the time searching for any casualties and finally extinguishing the fire. Positive pressure ventilation (a large, powerful fan) used to assist in the firefighting operations. Crews outside the building prepare salvage operations and stand by with life saving equipment should it be required.
The damage to the upstairs bedroom is quite extensive but thankfully no one is injured. The residents arrived back to find their house in a real mess due to smoke damage. They are naturally upset and are consoled by the understanding crews.
The crew carries out a home risk assessment and the house is found to have 2 smoke alarms fitted, these are useless as no batteries are fitted in them. Fortunately nobody was inside when the fire had taken hold.
A fire investigation is carried out and the crews distribute leaflets to the surrounding houses warning them of the risks from fire. The crews then leave the scene returning to station and servicing equipment used at the fire.
13.35 – We attend a house nearby to carry out a home fire safety check that they have arranged through the free phone number. Myself and another firefighter go into the house and fit 3 smoke alarms and advise the elderly lady who lives there on keeping her house keys close to hand at night and a phone upstairs, in case there is a fire and she needs to escape and call the fire brigade.
14.00 – Return to station. I log the details of the home fire safety check.
14.24 – Fire call to near by shop.
14.30 – Arrive at shop to find small fire in the skip at the rear. The owner is positive that this has been caused deliberately. This ‘contained’ fire was easily extinguished and our watch manager chats with the owner and the police about some security measures he could take to avoid further arson attacks on the property. This shop has been subject to vandalism recently and along with the police our concern is to ensure the chances of further damage is reduced.
15.20 – Arrive back at station.