Page 66 - Archived Back Issues

FireFighter Focus
On Your Bike
Representatives form the London Fire Brigade Community Cycle Project recently received a commendation from City of London Sheriff David Wootton for their work in the community. The focus of the project is to identify potential fire hazards and report them to other agencies for action, thus reducing risk in the community.
Their primary objective is a reduction of deliberate and secondary fires and the establishment of a multi agency methodology that enables the identification and removal of
potential fire hazards from public areas. The secondary objective is the reduction of the impact on the envi- ronment caused by fire and other work involving the fire service, establishing contact with members of the public during public events and engagement with the public in areas where access has been previously re- stricted due to the size and weight of fire appliances. Combined the effect is a heightened public awareness of the role of the London Fire Brigade.
The project started in 2007 as a local initiative in the London Borough of Hounslow. During the 3 months that it was in existence, deliberate fires were reduced from 256 in 2006 to 131 for the same period, (a re- duction of just over 48%). Cyclists patrolled open land and tow paths and talked to people they met. The following year the project was extended to twelve Boroughs and in 2009 twenty-six London Boroughs participated. The areas to be patrolled were selected according to risk ranking using historical data and lo- cal officer knowledge. The project is staffed by sixty-four firefighters organised into eight teams of eight riders, providing two teams for each area. The riders carry out their role on the days they are scheduled for day duties and return to their base stations on their night shift.
Our Hidden Heroes
When you next come to the City and to Insurance Hall, go and visit the small green public space called "Postman's Park" which is located between King Edward Street, Little Britain and Angel Street, near St Bartholomew's Hospital, to the north of St Paul's Cathedral.
Under the sheltered area is a wall commemorating ordinary people who lost their lives trying to save others. This was the idea of the painter G.F. Watts (1817-1904),
who disliked the upper classes and this was his gesture of defiance in providing a public memorial cele- brating people who would perhaps otherwise have been forgotten.
Of particular importance and interest to us are the plaques to fire- man George Lee who, whilst attending a fire in Clerkenwell in July 1876, carried an unconscious girl to safety, falling six times. He sadly died of his injuries.
Also look for the plaque to Joseph Andrew Ford aged 30 of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. In October 1871 Joseph saved six per- sons from a fire in Gray's Inn Road but in his last heroic act, he was scorched to death.