windsorfirestation.co.uk

Firefighters at Windsor Fire Station attended a dramatic water rescue incident at 15-42 hours on Friday 27 August. This occurred between the Windsor & Eton Bridge and Romney Lock.

A fully clothed male in his late fifties was seen struggling in the river Thames by shocked members of the public who notified the emergency services. The stretch of river has notorious undercurrents which have claimed several lives over the years.

From leaving the station, the Windsor Crew took less than 2 minutes to arrive at the scene-fully kitted with water rescue equipment. Within seconds they had assisted the man who was severely weakened and in the early stages of hypothermia. He was physically lifted onto a nearby barge and first aid administered before being transferred to the river side.

A swift and efficient hand over was then undertaken with the Police and Ambulance Service.

This type of incident effectively demonstrates the value of Windsor Fire Station.

BBC news have reported on an incident at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-10873700

This significantly called upon the resources of the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, with pumps used in operations and reliefs from Mortimer, Whitley Wood-Reading, Dee Road-Reading, Maidenhead, Wokingham, Hungerford, Wokingham Road-Reading, Crowthorne, Bracknell Retained, Slough, Pangbourne and Windsor.

Special appliances were used from Reading, Maidenhead and Slough.

Fourteen Brigade Managers were in attendance too.

As you can observe, the county was stretched to the limit. The Brigade has already closed Sonning Fire Station and Wargrave, Pangbourne and Cookham are also likely to close. Windsor Fire Station is threatened with closure and the Brigades Retained Viability Review may recommend further cuts?

Operational resilience is weakening…

0n 02 August the day crew at Windsor were called to woods on fire at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. Various discarded munitions from previous army exercises deployed during the course of the lengthy firefighting operation which also involved several other appliances. The Windsor crew worked 2 hours beyond their normal finishing time of 18-00 hours. Unexpected late finishes are part of the job and the professionalism of the crew ensures that they stay behind.

However, the goodwill of the same Windsor crew was stretched to the extreme the following day…

There was seemingly very little fire cover in the far west of the county on 03 August? Only the Newbury whole-time appliance was available.
(Let this scenario be a ‘wake up call’ to Brigade Managers who are advocating axing further front-line services).

The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service then sent the Windsor appliance to standby at Newbury Fire Station nearly 40 miles away?

Worse still, the Windsor crew were informed that they would NOT be allowed to return to their home station until the end of their shift at 18-00 hours. Add an hour travel time back to Windsor to that, and the fact that 3 of the 4 crew had childcare issues made this mandate very unreasonable.
Bear in mind too, that there are THREE Reading stations very much closer to Newbury and the longer travel distance for the Windsor appliance resulted in a bigger overtime bill for the crew, which makes this standby move perverse when considering Brigade warnings of future budgetary cuts?

The calls below are those attended by the Windsor crews for NIGHT shifts ONLY (18-00 to 09-00 hours). So to gauge the full value of Windsor Fire Station to the safety of east Berkshire you should also consider day calls too.

01 July at 20-12 hours. Standby to Maidenhead.
01 July at 21-50 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
02 July at 20-26 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
03 July at 02-18 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
03 July at 08-16 hours. Rise Road, Ascot. Alarm/activation.
03 July at 20-36 hours. Standby to Slough.
03 July following the above. Botham Drive, Slough. Flat fire – one person treated for burns.
03 July following the above. Standby to Maidenhead.
03 July at 18-02 hours.Finchamstead Woods, Wokingham. Woods on fire.
04 July at 20-15 hours. Manor Farm House, Windsor. Alarm/activation.
05 July at 02-10 hours. Montem Lane, Slough. Flat fire-12 rescues.
05 July at 18-00 hours. Crowthorne woods. Relief crews for fire in woods.
05 July at 20-51 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
05 July at 23-20 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
06 July at 02-18 hours. Parsonage Lane, Windsor. Fire in the open.
06 July at 08-29 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
06 July at 21-31 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
06 July at 21-37 hours. St Lukes Road, Old Windsor. Unspecified call.
06 July at 21-46 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
07 July at 00-11 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
07 July at 18-45 hours. York House, Windsor. Alarm/activation.
08 July at 18-27 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
08 July at 18-56 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
09 July at 01-23 hours. Dedworth Recreation Ground, Windsor. Fire in the open.
09 July at 20-40 hours. Berries Road, Cookham. Unspecified fire.
09 July at 21-20 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
09 July at 21-33 hours. Hormer Close, Sandhurst. Garage fire.
09 July at 23-49 hours. Hasting Close, Braywick. Unspecified call.
10 July at 02-01 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
11 July at 18-46 hours. Standby to Slough.
11 July at 20-23 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
14 July at 19-33 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
15 July at 00-54 hours. Windsor Great Park. Fire in the open.
15 July at 02-04 hours. York Road, Windsor. Alarms/activation.
15 July at 20-53 hours. Iron Bridge, Great Hollands, Bracknell. Alarms/activation.
15July at 21-54 hours. Hatchet Lane, Cranbourne. Car fire.
16 July at 05-36 hours. Windsor Great Park / Spital. Alarm/activation.
16 July at 19-38 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
16 July at 22-17 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
17 July at 23-16 hours. Windsor Race Course. Alarm/activation.
18 July at 22-47 hours. Park Street, Windsor. Alarm/activation.
19 July at 21-58 hours. Osbourne Road, Windsor. Person released from lift.
20 July at 06-50 hours. Kipling Court, Windsor. Alarm/activation.
22 July at 01-59 hours. Darville House, Windsor. Alarm/activation.
22 July at 02-49 hours. Garage,Maidenhead Road, Windsor. Alarm/activation.
22 July at 04-06 hours. Standby to Maidenhead.
22 July at 04-16 hours. Stafferton Way, Maidenhead. Fire-make pumps four.
22 July at 18-19 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
22 July at unspecified time. Home Park, Windsor. Fire in the open.
23 July at 00-05 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
23 July at 00-17 hours. Pineridge Park, Bracknell. Fire in building unit.
23 July at 01-09 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
23 July at 07-26 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
24 July at 19-30 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
24 July at 20-31 hours. Kings Road, Windsor. Dog entrapment.
25 July at 01-42 hours. Travel lodge, Windsor. Alarm/activation.
25 July at 18-32 hours. Loring Road, Windsor. Alarm/activation.
25 July at 20-17 hours. East Crescent, Windsor. Alarm/activation.
25 July at 20-29 hours. Albany Road, Old Windsor. Road traffic collision and gas leak.
26 July at 08-13 hours. Arthur Road, Windsor. Security device operating.
26 July at 08-41 hours. Arthur Road, Windsor. Security device operating.
26 July at 22-25 hours. Arthur Road, Windsor. Security device operating.
27 July at 01-41 hours. Bells of Ouseley PH., Old Windsor. Alarm/activation.
27 July at 06-55 hours. Connaught Court, Windsor. Alarms/activation.
28 July at 21-42 hours. Standby to Slough.
29 July at 20-38 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
29 July at 21-24 hours. Standby to Maidenhead.
30 July at 00-19 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
30 July at 00-22 hours. Clarefield Court, Ascot. Unspecified call.
30 July at 00-25 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
30 July at 18-15 hours. Standby to Slough.
30 July at 18-30 hours. Rayners Close, Colnbrook. Fire in the open.
30 July at 21-49 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
31 July at 00-03 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
31 July at 19-40 hours. Standby to Bracknell.

This represents 75 night calls in ONE month! (Incidentally a standby is when an appliance is sent to cover the ground of another station when they are at an incident. The Brigade have deemed certain standbys so important that appliances have been sent with blue lights and audible warning devices operating)

On the 27 July at 10-11 hours the Windsor appliance was called to a serious fire in Grenfell Road, Maidenhead. The Windsor appliance was first to the incident and was backed up by another appliance from Slough. Four breathing apparatus wearers were committed. Two high pressure hose-reel jets and two main jets were used, as well as a thermal imaging camera. The crews were at the scene for nearly 2 hours.

This is a typical example of the value of the Windsor appliance. To downgrade the station in any form will weaken the resilience of the Brigade in east Berkshire. If the Fire Service is diluted then lives and property may be compromised in the future.

Q.When is a rescue not a rescue?
A. If it could thwart Brigade plans to close or downgrade Fire Stations.

A few years ago there was a fire during the night hours at the Sir Christopher Wren’s House Hotel in Windsor. Firefighters in breathing apparatus led out several guests who were severely disorientated and distressed in the thickly smoke-logged corridors. It is unlikely that they could have made it out themselves.
Subsequently, as the Hotel Manager and local press praised the Windsor crews, a disgruntled senior Brigade Manager attempted to downplay the rescues. This was quite astonishing as, prior to the fire station closure proposal, the Brigades Media Office would have certainly indulged in such a high profile incident to maximise good PR!

In the meanwhile, thank you letters from grateful members of the public in Windsor were no longer reproduced within the regular Brigade publication, ‘Routine Orders’. This was not the case for any other station, therefore prompting a letter of concern to the Chief Fire Officer from Adam Afryie the Windsor MP.

Then on 20 June at 00-29 hours a blaze broke at a flat in St Leonards Road, Windsor. Two brothers aged 15 and 19 were rescued by Firefighters. Their mother spoke to the local press and expressed her immense gratitude that the Windsor Firefighters saved her sons. The Brigade has subsequently expressed dissatisfaction to one Watch Manager as to whether these were rescues?

On Monday 05 July there was a serious blaze in Slough and 12 people were rescued. The crews witnessed people hanging out of windows, frantically waving and shouting with smoke billowing behind them. By all accounts this was a harrowing incident which drew upon the professionalism of the crews.
The fire was reported in the Slough Midweek Observer newspaper and headlined, ‘Fire crews rescue dozen’:
‘Firefghters struggled through smoke to rescue 12 people trapped in a burning building.
Officers from Slough, Windsor and Langley were called to Oban Court in Montem Lane, Slough at around 2 am on Monday. Six firefighters with breathing equipment freed the trapped people.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.’

Following this incident one Brigade Manager sent out an email dated 09 July which was titled, ‘Rescues at Incidents’ in which he redefined the definition of a rescue! To say this has not gone down well amongst the crews from Slough, Langley and Windsor would be the understatement of the century.

The calls below were attended by crews from Windsor Fire Station.
Look at the gravity of certain incidents and consider also the valuable ‘back-up’ Windsor Firefighters provide to east Berkshire?

01 June at 03-13 hours. Oakley Green Road, Windsor. Alarm / Activation.
01 June at 23-53 hours. Coronation Road, Ascot. House fire.
02 June at 18-50 hours. Standby to Slough.
03 June at 18-43 hours. Princess Margaret Hospital, Windsor. Alarm / Activation.
04 June at 01-16 hours. Penn Road, Datchet. Alarm / Activation.
05 June at 08-40 hours. St Andrews Cottages, Windsor. Alarm / Activation.
05 June at 21-08 hours. Viscount Court, Windsor. Alarm / Activation.
06 June at 19-16 hours. St Leonards Road, Windsor. Road traffic collision.
07 June at 19-45 hours. Mill Place, Datchet. Logs on fire.
12 June at 03-11 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
13 June at 00-44 hours. Standby at Bracknell.
13 June at 01-52 hours. Thames Street, Windsor. Person fallen in river.
13 June at 03-00 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
13 June at 03-36 hours. Sheet Street, Windsor. 3 people locked in building.
13 June at 04-31 hours. Goswell Hill, Windsor. Alarms / Activation.
13 June at 05-19 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
14 June at 21-51 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
17 June at 20-37 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
18 June at 05-37 hours. Standby to Slough.
20 June at 00-29 hours. St Leonards Road, Windsor. Flat fire. 2 persons rescued.
21 June at 04-22 hours. Drift Road, Windsor. Shed fire.
22 June at 06-25 hours. Manor Farm Close, Windsor. Alarm / Activation.
23 June at 05-28 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
24 June at 05-46 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
24 June at 18-14 hours. St Leonards Road, Windsor. Secondary fire.
24 June at 20-35 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
25 June at 00-45 hours. Standby to Maidenhead.
25 June at 01-03 hours. Moor Lane, Maidenhead. Fatal house fire.
27 June at 04-53 hours. Arthur Road, Windsor. Smoke Cloak security device operating.
27 June at 21-03 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
27 June at 21-43 hours. Windsor Road, Ascot. Lorry fire.
28 June at 02-26 hours. Straight Road, Old Windsor. Alarm / Activation.
28 June at 22-10 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
29 June at 03-21 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
29 June at 03-27 hours. Tesco, Warfield, Bracknell. Fire within car wash.
29 June at 05-44 hours. Imperial Road, Windsor. Fire in the open.
29 June at 06-47 hours. Arthur Road, Windsor. Smoke Cloak security device operating.
29 June at 20-26 hours. Standby to Bracknell.
30 June at 20-28 hours. Standby to Bracknell.

Then consider how resilient east Berkshire fire cover will be if Windsor Fire Station is CLOSED?