Post by les on Feb 28, 2024 1:39:01 GMT -5
Fire Station
It always caused a lot of excitement to us kids when the siren went you would see the firefighters hurrying to the station, then the dash to the fire. These utility vehicles were a far cry from a modern engine.
I remember one of the part timers called Charlie Wallis, Charlie ran a bike shop in Tonbridge Road Maidstone. As soon as the siren went he would leave his business in the able hands of his wife, jump on his bike, which had a sign on the front saying FIRE, he would cycle for all he was worth while ringing his cycle bell.
I believe if you had been in his way he would have run straight over you. Charlie as well as being one of the few men I knew who could re-spoke a cycle wheel was also an inventor. Charlie invented an attachment, which fitted on to the hose that they used when putting out chimney fires. Hopefully causing less mess and distress for the poor devil who happened to suffer the chimney fire
I remember years later in 1970, we had moved to Sheals Crescent and during an emergency call, a water tender skidded on a wet surface in College Road hit a tree and burst into flames.
George Stoner a local resident dragged the driver from the burning engine. The driver, Firemen Roger Lynn was badly burned, and had to have his badly crushed leg amputated.
Another Fireman Malcolm Farrow sadly died from his injuries four days later. This was a double tragedy for this family as the young mans father(Retained Fireman A E Farrow) died in the Oakwood Hospital fire 1957.
John Roberts
firefighter
Maidstone I remember it well:
On finishing my Recruits training course at Linton Training Centre, I was sent to Maidstone Fire Station under the Market Buildings, a real fireman at last!!!!
I was on probation for two years and after four years would become a qualified fireman. During this time, I would visit Linton again for a BA course, Driver Pump Operator course, Turntable Ladder Course and refresher courses. Now I was a real fireman!!!!
The equipment in those days was by today’s standard pretty ropey, with wartime appliances and some pre-war local fire brigade appliances which were constantly breaking down and needed replacing with another clapped out vehicle. But things were changing.
It is hard to realise that where there is now an elegant parade of shops, once was a fire station that was responsible for the fire cover for as far afield as Lenham, Headcorn, Marden, Loose, West Malling and Eccles. All of which had their own fire station, plus a retained station at Maidstone. Under the arches and alongside the Mitre Public House were housed a variety of appliances. A Turntable Ladder, Water Tender, Hose Laying lorry, Pump Escape, Pump Salvage Tender, Motorcycle and Box sidecar, Austin General Purpose Towing vehicle, the Station Officers van, Hose and general store and a yes a bike rack (car owners were less than the fingers on one hand)!!! Also kitchen, messroom and recreation room.
A 60 hour two watch rota system was in operation, fifteen men per watch. A week of days followed by a week of nights. Day duties were 9am - 6pm, night duties 6pm - 9am.
The heart of the fire station was the watch room, a log was kept of all movement in and out of the station. Fire calls were mostly via 999 or 2222 and appliances despatched according to a pre-determined index. There were no radios on appliances other than officers' cars and messages from the fire ground were by telephone until or if an officer arrived.
Road traffic accidents were not the scourge that they are today but chimney fires were. Come the autumn a plume of white smoke issuing from a chimney was all too common. Maidstone has had its' share of large fires, some of which I attended.
Getting to know the area was a must. Maidstone was a growing town and topography essential. Much time was spent learning the area(s)along with other drills and tests carried out daily, weekly and monthly, with visits to risks such as hospitals, factories and public buildings.
Maidstone at this time was a much more sedate town with four cinemas, a theatre, dance halls and a roller skating rink for entertainment and of course the fire station was in the centre of it all.
A new fire station!!!! we liked it where we were.
hoolig
I remember the Oakwood Hospital tower disaster very well, I was driving the first KFB appliance to attend
the Tailors shop was well alight and the roof soon collapsed, we were the Maidstone night watch and left the
incident just after 0900, we got back to our station to be told the tower had collapsed we went straight back
too assist.
A bad day for the Kent Fire Brigade
It always caused a lot of excitement to us kids when the siren went you would see the firefighters hurrying to the station, then the dash to the fire. These utility vehicles were a far cry from a modern engine.
I remember one of the part timers called Charlie Wallis, Charlie ran a bike shop in Tonbridge Road Maidstone. As soon as the siren went he would leave his business in the able hands of his wife, jump on his bike, which had a sign on the front saying FIRE, he would cycle for all he was worth while ringing his cycle bell.
I believe if you had been in his way he would have run straight over you. Charlie as well as being one of the few men I knew who could re-spoke a cycle wheel was also an inventor. Charlie invented an attachment, which fitted on to the hose that they used when putting out chimney fires. Hopefully causing less mess and distress for the poor devil who happened to suffer the chimney fire
I remember years later in 1970, we had moved to Sheals Crescent and during an emergency call, a water tender skidded on a wet surface in College Road hit a tree and burst into flames.
George Stoner a local resident dragged the driver from the burning engine. The driver, Firemen Roger Lynn was badly burned, and had to have his badly crushed leg amputated.
Another Fireman Malcolm Farrow sadly died from his injuries four days later. This was a double tragedy for this family as the young mans father(Retained Fireman A E Farrow) died in the Oakwood Hospital fire 1957.
John Roberts
firefighter
Maidstone I remember it well:
On finishing my Recruits training course at Linton Training Centre, I was sent to Maidstone Fire Station under the Market Buildings, a real fireman at last!!!!
I was on probation for two years and after four years would become a qualified fireman. During this time, I would visit Linton again for a BA course, Driver Pump Operator course, Turntable Ladder Course and refresher courses. Now I was a real fireman!!!!
The equipment in those days was by today’s standard pretty ropey, with wartime appliances and some pre-war local fire brigade appliances which were constantly breaking down and needed replacing with another clapped out vehicle. But things were changing.
It is hard to realise that where there is now an elegant parade of shops, once was a fire station that was responsible for the fire cover for as far afield as Lenham, Headcorn, Marden, Loose, West Malling and Eccles. All of which had their own fire station, plus a retained station at Maidstone. Under the arches and alongside the Mitre Public House were housed a variety of appliances. A Turntable Ladder, Water Tender, Hose Laying lorry, Pump Escape, Pump Salvage Tender, Motorcycle and Box sidecar, Austin General Purpose Towing vehicle, the Station Officers van, Hose and general store and a yes a bike rack (car owners were less than the fingers on one hand)!!! Also kitchen, messroom and recreation room.
A 60 hour two watch rota system was in operation, fifteen men per watch. A week of days followed by a week of nights. Day duties were 9am - 6pm, night duties 6pm - 9am.
The heart of the fire station was the watch room, a log was kept of all movement in and out of the station. Fire calls were mostly via 999 or 2222 and appliances despatched according to a pre-determined index. There were no radios on appliances other than officers' cars and messages from the fire ground were by telephone until or if an officer arrived.
Road traffic accidents were not the scourge that they are today but chimney fires were. Come the autumn a plume of white smoke issuing from a chimney was all too common. Maidstone has had its' share of large fires, some of which I attended.
Getting to know the area was a must. Maidstone was a growing town and topography essential. Much time was spent learning the area(s)along with other drills and tests carried out daily, weekly and monthly, with visits to risks such as hospitals, factories and public buildings.
Maidstone at this time was a much more sedate town with four cinemas, a theatre, dance halls and a roller skating rink for entertainment and of course the fire station was in the centre of it all.
A new fire station!!!! we liked it where we were.
hoolig
I remember the Oakwood Hospital tower disaster very well, I was driving the first KFB appliance to attend
the Tailors shop was well alight and the roof soon collapsed, we were the Maidstone night watch and left the
incident just after 0900, we got back to our station to be told the tower had collapsed we went straight back
too assist.
A bad day for the Kent Fire Brigade