Firestyle Magazine: Issue 1 - Autumn 2015

ISSUE 1 - AUTUMN 2015
The Brand
of Brother
Chelsea firefighter Tomiwa
Adeosun has much more
in his locker than his
uniform!
MALE GROOMING
Page 28
women in the fire
service
Page 38
MOUNTAINEERING & WALKING
Page 50
It’s a dogs lifE
Page 56

This is to confirm that Tiber Design Ltd is the sole appointed
publisher for the Firestyle Magazine.
On behalf of the Firestyle, I would like to thank you for purchasing space in
the magazine, as this enables members to receive their copy free of charge.
In addition, funds are made available to be used for the benefit of our
members and the activities of the organisation.
We would like to give thanks for the following individuals for their
contributions towards the magazine:
• Craig Philips • Rachel Atkinson
• Sarah Dornford-May • Chrissie Holmes
• Nick Courtney • Ludo Macaulay
• Tomiwa Adeosun • Tristan Lee
• Glenn Sontag • Paul Rudge
• Peter Cowland • Melissa Ward
• Lina Tabares • Ian Ferguson
• Rachel Buckley • Neil Fitzmaurice
• Louisa Brown • Simon Boyle • Tim Beynon
Richard James
Magazine Editor
Lead Designer: Adam Blakemore
Graphic Designers: Peter Coyle & Graham Watson
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CONTENTS
The Brand of Brother... Page 6
Where to go and when… Page 10
Simon Boyle’s London restaurant and food tips!… Page 15
Fitness for Role: Staying Healthy Whilst Working Longer… Page 18
Osteopathy and the Fire Brigade… Page 20
Mind for Better Mental Health… Page 22
Fitz of Laughter… Page 24
It’s a Family Affair … Page 26
National Association of Retired Firefighters… Page 27
Male Grooming Advice for Firefighters… Page 28
In the Deep End… Page 32
Hartnell Chanot’s advice on pensions and divorce work… Page 36
Women in the Fire Service (WFS)… Page 38
Off-Duty Firefighter in Highland Rescue… Page 41
Home & Garden with Craig Phillips… Page 42
New Car Discounts for the Fire & Rescue Service… Page 46
Firefighters Motorcycle Club Membership… Page 48
Vinyl Resurgence… Page 49
Fire Service Three Peaks Challenge… Page 50
Retired Firefighter Wins Gold… Page 53
Bryn Puts Away His Passport… Page 54
Beyond the Flames … Page 58

FASHION
‘The Brand of Brother’
Chelsea firefighter Tomiwa Adeosun, has much more in his locker than
his uniform. An ex semi-professional footballer and massive Chelsea fan,
he tells Richard James and Firestyle about his life, his role in the London
Fire Brigade and his influences that have helped him create his very
own brand of... Brother.
06

Tomiwa, what first attracted you to the
Fire Service?
“I initially studied at Brunel University in Uxbridge, where
I acquired my first degree in Sports Science and Business
Studies. Having then worked at the London Fire &
Emergency Planning Authority, I found myself in positions
with Cancer Research UK and the NHS. I also studied
part-time at St Marys College obtaining a diploma in
Health, Nutrition and Physical Activity.
I had played semi-professional, for Leyton FC and
Carshalton FC and it was during them amateur football
days which I made a lot of friends who worked
for the fire service. Combined with my work at the
procurement department, the fire lads highlighted the
pros of being a firefighter and I found these tied in with
my core values..... fairness, integrity, and the physical
aspects of the job. One of the fundamental attractions
to me, are the rewards you get helping people and the
impact you can make on their lives”.
When did you join the Fire Service ?
“I joined around four and a half years ago. I love the
variety of the job and its’ daily duties. Being based at
Chelsea, which is considered an affluent area, we may not
have as many turn outs for fires, however, there are many
more aspects of the job we have to deal with. The biggest
incident I have attended though, was at the fictional
home of Hercule Poirot, on Clerkenwell Fire Station ground
a couple of years ago. I was one of the first fire fighters on
the scene and the whole place was up.”
Tomiwa has had an eye for fashion since a very young
age, which eventually led him to not only a ‘Foundation
degree in Cordwainers Footwear Design’ which he
achieved at The London College of Fashion, but also a
Master of Arts in ‘Fashion Menswear Footwear’. This he
obtained in June this year, at the Royal College of Art.
When did you first become interested
in fashion?
“When I was young, around 11, my friend and I used
our spare time after school and at weekends, to design
trainers. It was a passion from an early age which rekindled
when I reassessed my life later, having the memories of
being very happy doing it, still with me. To this day, I still
have a general love of trainers and as i consider myself a
creative person, I looked into the subject in greater detail.
When I was a child, Airmax 95s were massive, in fact the
whole Airmax series and the likes of Reebok Pump, Fila and
Adidas. Footwear now though has exploded, when I was
young there was only a limited variety and the releases
were few and far between. Now there is so much choice,
with remakes, colour ups, new brands etc.”
07

FASHION
08
How did you decide to
progress your learning in the
fashion field?
“I did a short course at the London College
of Fashion in footwear design, which
then enabled me to build up a portfolio,
to approach the LCF for my degree. It
then started to snowball from there. I
then attended the Royal College of Art
where I did a Master of Arts in ‘Fashion
in Menswear Footwear’. Spending two
years on the course, I found the college
a prestigious place to study, which
led to a massive development in my
technical skills, both in design concepts
and drawings. The college is one of the
best design universities in the world and
I was constantly being challenged with
new concepts and projects. It was very
intensive and I had to switch certain shifts
at work and leave, to accommodate the
course. I certainly would not have been
able to do both, if I didn’t love both.”
So where did the inspiration for
your ‘Brother’ range develop?
“I have had massive inspiration from my
fellow firefighters at Chelsea. The service
is now so mixed, I took even the smallest
detail from my associates and used them
in my design decisions. I must however give
particular appreciation to a colleague in the
LFB, whose influence helped greatly in the
production decisions of my Chelsea boots.
In the final year at college the big name
brands came in and set industry projects and
design outcomes. One in particular, Adidas,
set a brief to redesign their existing ‘Forum’
trainer. Adidas chose 5 trainers that they made
prototypes of at their factory in Germany. My
final selection is seperate to that though.
It is based on the inspiration of workwear,
photography of Irving Penn’s and my fellow
fire fighters. I even use firefighter buckles and
non-slip metal platings detail found on the
trucks as a motif through my work.”

Tomiwa, what are your
aspirations for the future?
“I would love to balance and develop my
role as both a firefighter and designer as
I have been doing. Ideally, I would like to
produce a niche brand as my ideas are
very particular and quirky. I like to work
with a traditional base and then put my
spin on them. Fundamentally, my focus is
that I would like to make an aesthetically
grounded product based on quality”
Finally Tomiwa, how did you
come up with the name
’Brother’?
“My ’Brother’ collection was inspired from
my link to the fire brigade ethic... it is like a
band of brothers and sisters.”
Firestyle would like to thank Tomiwa for his
help with this article and we wish him all
the best for the future!
Photography: Egle Aravici and John McGrath. Collaborators on project: Rozanna Walecki and Emily Goodaker
09

TRAVEL
10

11

12

Article provided by: Savvi Travel
8 High Street, Olney, Bucks, MK46 4BB - 01234 48 2015 - hs@savvitravel.co.uk
15 Mill Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6EA - 01572 84 2012 - hs@savvitravel.co.uk
Please reference GLO/1063 upon contact 13

FOOD
Simon Boyle, Chef and Owner of ‘Brigade’ restaurant in London, tells
‘FireStyle’ how London’s Oldest Fire Station was transformed into a restaurant whilst
helping the local community. Simon also gives some culinary tips for you to try!.....
On Boxing day 2004, I watched the TV and the
destruction of the worst Tsunami in living history
unfold. As everyone on that day, I wanted
to help, in fact, I was desperate to help. But
because I had travelled extensively in many of
the areas hit, I decided rather than just provide
a financial donation, I would rather give my
skills to a relief team in Sri Lanka. It was doing
this that I realised that I was capable of helping
people in my day-to-day work. This started a
lifelong passion and commitment to help and
support vulnerable people and the Beyond Food
Foundation was born.
The first few years were spent in Soho London, a
former homeless hostel The House of St Barnabas,
I turned it into a bespoke hospitality venue.
Homelessness was something we understood in
part and in others it was frustrating that so many
homeless stay homeless for so long. This frustration
soon turned into a burning ambition to conquer.
Then we moved into the city, next to a church
on Byward street. We started to polish our
vision of what we wanted to offer the homeless
and public sectors. We created two concepts
‘Freshlife’ a primary engagement programme
that focuses on the homeless well-being,
purpose and commitment to move forward and
become employable. And the ‘United Kitchen
Apprenticeship’ a 13-month professional chef
apprenticeship programme, fully accredited. We
campaigned in hostels and jobcentres to recruit
vulnerable people onto our programmes. Over
time we started to build a name for the result we
were getting.
In 2010, we started to understand our impact and
set to work on a new growth vision. We needed to
find a more suitable building in which to bring the
vision into a reality.
Right about the same time, PwC were building
their new head office at More London near
London Bridge. An amazing organisation that
needed a brand new building to house five
thousand people for its UK head office. In front of
PwC on Tooley street sat a small and unused Fire
Station. It was the last site to be redeveloped by
More London Estates.
Together the PwC Executive Board and I started
to hatch out a plan to bring a fresh approach to
the oldest Fire Station in the city of London.
14

In September 2011, Brigade Bar and Bistro opened in the two
bottom floors of the Fire Station. Working in partnership with the
Beyond Food Foundation, PwC and De Vere Venues inspire
and motivate people that have been or are at risk of becoming
homeless.
Today Brigade is a unique Social Enterprise; there is a British bistro
with a relaxed dining restaurant, conference facilities, private
dining rooms and a cookery school. It uses its profits to continue the
great work of the Beyond Food Foundation. It’s really a fantastic
social partnership that helps homeless individuals develop skills and
motivation to find employment whilst being fully supported by the
incredible team. Transforming lives is a day-to-day occurrence.
Beyond Food have a range of great ways to help, such as a
monthly supper club, its really worth coming to whilst providing
funds to inspire even more people.
Side Fact
In 1930 James Braidwood is brought
down from Scotland to head up the
new municipal fire service that would
eventually become the London Fire
Brigade.
22 June 1861 fire breaks out on Tooley
Street, leading to the passing of the
Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act 1865.
Tooley Street is devastated and
James Braidwood is one of its victims.
1879 one of London’s first Fire Stations
is built on Tooley Street.
2011 The Tooley Street Fire Station
opens as a Social Enterprise hub.
Brigade Bar and Bistro takes up the
ground and first floor. The School for
Social Enterprise and Social Enterprise
UK third and fourth.
2015 Simon is really proud that the
Fire Station is back helping vulnerable
people in London once again.
If you would like to help, get in touch or visit Brigade:
www.beyondfood.org.uk www.thebrigade.co.uk
@beyond_food @brigadese1 @chefsimonboyle
Side Fact
By 2015 Beyond Food and Brigade
have trained 863 homeless people
through its primary engagement
programme Freshlife and employed
83 people through its apprenticeship
programme United Kitchen.
15

FOOD
Grilled Fillet of Cornish Mackerel on Wilted Rocket
with Pomegranate & Honey Dressing
Prep time, under 30 minutes
Cook time, 10 minutes
Serves 4
Stuff you’ll need…
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 fresh mackerel fillets, pin boned and cut into two
equal pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
Large bunch of wild rocket, washed
½ cucumber, peeled and sliced
100g cherry tomatoes, halved
4 teaspoons of water
1/4 teaspoon salt
½ pomegranate, seeded
2 teaspoons honey
1 small shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp Grain Mustard
1 level tsp capers, finely chopped
1/2 red pepper, diced, fairly small
½ large bunch mint, finely chopped
1 tsp red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pinch dried chilli flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Get stuck in!
1. Mix together the water and salt until the salt dissolves.
Place all the other dressing ingredients into a bowl and
combine thoroughly and reserve.
2. Heat a frying pan until hot. Add the olive oil.
3. Season the mackerel fillets, and then place skin side
down in the hot frying pan.
4. Cook for 3 minutes, and then turn and cook for a
further 3 minutes on the other side.
5. Remove fish from the pan and place on a tray.
6. To serve - place the rocket, cucumber and cherry
tomatoes in a large bowl. Mix up the dressing and spoon
4 or 5 spoons over the salad and gently mix around the
bowl.
7. Take a small handful of salad and place in the middle
of each plate.
8. Using a fish slice, place a warm mackerel fillet
on each. Spoon the dressing around and serve
immediately.
16

Mutton shepherd’s pie
Prep time, 1 hour
Cook time, 3 hours Serves 10
Stuff you’ll need…
2 tbsp. olive oil
3kg shoulder of mutton
Freshly ground black pepper
900g onions, peeled and finely chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme, picked and chopped
4 cloves garlic
50g butter
60g tomato purée
60g flour
500ml red wine
75ml Worcestershire sauce
2 litres chicken stock
Freshly ground white pepper and salt
750g mash potato with butter and milk
75g mature cheddar cheese
1. In a large frying pan, heat the oil until hot, add
the mutton, season with pepper and fry until well
browned. Remove the meat from the pan and
place in a roasting tray.
2. Add the onion to the pan with the thyme and
garlic and a knob of butter, and cook until soft and
translucent. Add the meat and tomato purée, and
then sprinkle over the flour. Cook stirring constantly
for 2-3 minutes to cook the flour.
3. Add the red wine and Worcestershire sauce. Add
the chicken stock, bring back to the simmer and
add all of this into the roasting pan with the mutton.
4. Braise this for at least 2 hours at 150°C, maybe
longer, ‘til the meat is flaking from the bone. At this
point, remove from the liquid to cool enough to
handle. Should the stock require further thickening,
reduce on the heat as required.
5. Flake the meat and add back into the gravy while
reserving any of this you can to serve, then cool until
ready to assemble. Reserve the bone and trimmings
for stock.
6. Cover with creamy and buttery mash potato,
sprinkle with grated mature cheddar cheese.
7. Bake at 190°C for 25-35 minutes ‘til golden brown,
serve immediately
Pear crumble with
Thyme Custard
Serves 4-6
Crumble topping
150g plain or whole-wheat
flour
25g Porridge Oats
50g hazelnuts, crushed
75g butter at room
temperature
75g - 110g soft brown sugar
1. Pre heat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4
Filling
900g ripe comice pears
25g soft brown sugar
For the custard
6 free-range egg yolks
75g/3oz caster sugar
200ml/7fl oz double cream
200ml/7fl oz full-fat milk
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2. Peel and quarter the pears. Remove the core and pips
and place them into a casserole dish (1.75 litres) and
sprinkle over the sugar then prepare the crumble topping.
3. Put the flour, oats and nuts into a large mixing bowl and
add the butter. Rub the flour and butter together until it
looks crumbly and the butter has been evenly dispersed
through the flour. Add the sugar and mix together to
ensure that everything is combined.
4. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top of the
pears using a fork to even out the distribution but don’t
press it down.
5. Cook in the oven for 30 - 40 minutes until lightly golden
brown
6. For the custard, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together
in a bowl until pale and fluffy.
7. Heat the milk, cream and thyme together in a heavybased,
non-stick pan until the mixture reaches scalding
point. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk
and sugar mixture, whisking continuously, until smooth and
well combined.
8. Pour the mixture back into the pan and gently heat,
stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens enough
to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Pass the custard
mixture through a fine sieve and discard the thyme.
9. To serve, spoon the crumble out into shallow bowls and
spoon over the hot thyme custard.
17

HEALTH & FITNESS
Fitness for role:
staying healthy whilst
working longer
UK government demands have necessitated significant changes within
public services brought about by a legal obligation to balance a
significantly decreased budget. Changes to pension means organisations
have to manage the retention of an older working population with
increasing physical and mental challenges, an unprecedented task
within such a demographic group.
18
As a direct result of these
demands to our service, the
Occupational Health Unit
(OHU) and other support
services have had to change
significantly to fully align with the
organisation’s strategic intent.
The service delivery model within
OHU now focuses on efficient
and economic preventative
approaches as opposed to the
traditional, reactive treatment
service. Whilst rehabilitation back
into the workplace following
illness of injury is still a vital
occupational health function,
the service has adapted by using
methods such as education and
health promotion designed to
reduce, and ideally prevent,
sickness absence in the first place
(Hinckley, 2015).
The post-industrial society
we live in today suggests
increased activity outside of
work is necessary to sustain the
appropriate level of health and
fitness required for role and to
remain in employment. Whilst
firefighting cannot be described
as a sedentary job, the significant
decrease in house fires (Knight,
2013) and the increase in
prevention-based activity has
resulted in an overall reduction in
physical activity in the workplace.
This shift has contributed to a
change in OH case load, and
different demands on support
services across the organisation.
Evidence suggests that there
are now fewer musculoskeletal
disorders (MSD), but more
presentations of mental ill-health,
such as anxiety and depression.
The reasons for this trend are
complex, but it is hoped that work
done both nationally and at a
local level within the organisation
have contributed to breaking
down the barriers and stigma
associated with mental ill-health
(MIND, 2015). Poor levels of health
and wellbeing, including low
morale and motivation, impact
on productivity and employee
retention.
It is evident that a holistic,
multidisciplinary team (MDT)
approach to health, fitness
and wellbeing is required. This
will often prevent a very simple
condition developing into
a very costly outcome, and
provides evidence that the
biomedical model is outdated
and needs to be challenged. The
biopsychosocial (BPS) model of
care, first championed by Engel
(1977), provides a fit for purpose
framework through which a truly
holistic package of support may
be delivered, and encompasses a
wider approach to the biological,
psychological and social aspects
of health and wellbeing.
It is therefore imperative that,
irrespective of the backgrounds
and experience of the MDT, the
practitioners adopt the same
principles in order to provide
consistent care. Utilising individual
case management, with
consideration and recognition of
all contributory factors to ill-health
- including obstacles to recovery
- will identify behaviors that affect
the outcome and will provide the
appropriate level of care and
support as soon as possible.
OH teams consist of nurses,
technicians, physiotherapists,
psychologists, and counsellors,
but have historically been led
by physicians. In recent years,
the role of fitness adviser (FA)
has developed within most fire
services nationally. FAs work
closely with clinical staff, often
with responsibility for fitness level
assessments and prescriptive
exercise programmes. However,
there is more scope for FAs, with
an enhanced understanding of
the BPS model, to work as part of
the MDT in all aspect of health in
order to promote a speedy and
safe return to work. The demise of
the obsolete biomedical model
also provides an opportunity to
improve OH services by devolving
responsibility for clinical leadership
away from physicians and placing
it in the hands of other MDT
members who embrace the BPS
model’s holistic viewpoint.
Engel (1977)

The total number of working days lost due to MSDs in 2013/14 was
8.3 million, an average of 15.9 days per case. (HSE 2015) In 2014
the government stated that employers’ faced a yearly bill of
around £9 billion for sick pay and associated costs, with individuals
missing out on £4 billion a year in lost earnings’. (DWP 2014)
Occupational back pain accounts for a large proportion of these
disorders, a condition know to have a significant psychological
component. Success has been evident when using the BPS model
in managing back pain; for example, the inappropriate use of such
terms as “chronic” pain can often influence an individual’s own
perception of their condition, convince them that it is a lot more
serious than it is, and thus dramatically influence the outcome by
slowing recovery.
It is well researched that activity and mobility promotes recovery,
but a more holistic BPS approach is required to address the
psychological components, such as motivation and morale,
required for successful rehabilitation.
OH services and employees must evolve together to meet the
changing needs of their organisation, embracing the factors
required to maintain a high standard of health, fitness and
wellbeing. This partnership, with a change-ready workforce mindful
of the responsibility for their own health, will augment the resilience
required to meet the future demands on an ageing workforce.
DWP (2015). A million workers off sick
for more than a month. Department of
work and pensions. Online www.gov.uk/
government/news/a-million-workers-off-sickfor-more-than-a-month.
Accessed 21/08/15
Engel G L (1977). The need for new medical
model: “A challenge for biomedicine”.
Science 196; pp.129-136
Hinckley P (2015). Reshaping our
Occupational Health Service. WMFS
Birmingham
HSE (2015). Musculoskeletal Disorders
in Great Britain 2014. Online at wtistics/
causdis/musculoskeletal/msd.pdfww.hse.
gov.uk/sta. Accessed 21/08/15
Knight K (2013). Facing the future: Findings
from the review of efficiencies and
operations in fire and rescue authorities in
England (The Knight Report) DCLG, London.
Mind (2015). Online at www.mind.org.uk.
Accessed 21/08/15
Article provided by:
Paul Rudge - Occupational Health.
West Midlands Fire & Rescue Service.
19

WELLBEINg
OSTEOPATHY AND THE FIRE BRIGADE
HAZARDS OF THE JOB
Every job has its occupational hazards
and for those working in The Fire Brigade,
there are few exceptions. Whether its the
physical demands of frontline fire and
rescue, or sitting for long hours at a desk in
an administrative role, these can all take its
toll on our physical health, which in turn can
affect our overall well-being.
From a sudden injury caused by lifting
equipment or rescuing people, to the
cumulative strains of repetitive work,
symptoms such as pain and stiffness can
easily occur.
OSTEOPATHY - HOW IT CAN HELP
Osteopathy is one type of complementary medicine
where the practitioner diagnoses and treats problems
within the musculo-skeletal system. Although people
often think ‘osteopathy’ concerns just bones or just
the spine, osteopaths treat a range of conditions
that involve the whole body and other tissue types;
ligaments, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, nerves and
joints. So, even though many patients have problems
in their back or neck, osteopaths can apply treatment
for a wide range of conditions in all areas of the
body. The effects of many health conditions on the
body (e.g. digestive problems) can also be improved,
though the underlying condition in itself may not be
able to be resolved.
HOW DOES IT DIFFER
FROM MASSAGE AND
WHAT HAPPENS IN A
CONSULTATION?
Whereas pure massage
mainly focuses on the soft
tissues (i.e. muscles, tendons
and ligaments), osteopathy
can also influence the
skeletal system by addressing
restrictions in the joints of your
body. Osteopaths can detect
whether the function of a
joint is impaired and perform
adjustments to the joint -
‘clicking’ (freeing up) the joint
if safe to do so and with the
patient’s consent.
A record of your presenting
complaint and background
information regarding your
general health will be taken.
If you have any medical
correspondence, X-ray / MRI
reports or list of medication
taken (names and dosages) or
other relevant data then this
will be useful to the osteopath
if you bring this along. If your
presentation is suitable for
osteopathy, you will be asked
to undress to your underwear
so that a standing visual
examination can take place.
This is so the osteopath can
get an idea of your overall
structure.
20

The osteopath will then feel the various tissues in both the area concerned and elsewhere as this will give
more information. You will be asked to perform certain ‘active’ movements e.g. bending forward or lifting
an arm. These will often then be repeated by the osteopath with you relaxed / ‘passive’. Other specialised
tests that may be performed include neurological examinations (e.g. reflexes) and you may require
examination of the systems of your body, such as having your blood pressure taken.
For those who have never experienced a manipulation of a spinal joint, curiosity and occasionally,
apprehension may both occur. Relax - osteopaths usually have at least 4 years of training and have
performed hundreds if not thousands of manipulations before. Safety should be their priority and an
assessment will always be carried out - i.e risk versus benefit. If you’re still not convinced by being ‘clicked’,
there are many alternative techniques osteopaths are trained in to help you get better. A few examples
include soft tissue manipulation (“massage”), muscle energy techniques (an advanced type of muscle
conditioning to strengthen or lengthen muscles) and cranial osteopathy (a very gentle, subtle form of
osteopathy) as well as advanced techniques like acupuncture and ultrasound. Your osteopath will advise
you what is best and treat accordingly, or refer on if other skills are required.
WHAT BENEFITS CAN BE
ACHIEVED?
Benefits can include reduced
pain or discomfort, increased
range and ease of movement,
as well as improved sleep,
general body function and wellbeing.
ARE THERE ANY SIDE
EFFECTS?
Side-effects can include some
soreness or pain after treatment,
which usually settles within 48
hours. (This may be the normal
course of events for your
presentation, even if you did
not receive osteopathy!) This
can be relieved by applying
an ice-pack or heat - whatever
works best for you for between
5 and 10 minutes. Although
you may feel tenderness during
treatment, this is often “good
pain” and should produce a
reduction in symptoms when
things settle. Specific (but
extremely rare) risks for certain
manipulations (e.g. neck) should
be explained to you by your
osteopath.
HOW MANY SESSIONS
WILL I NEED?
This very much depends on
your presenting complaint.
Your condition may be
significantly improved in one
session and you may not
need further visits. Or, you
may need several treatments,
especially in the case of long
term / chronic conditions.
Your response to treatment
will always be noted and your
treatment plan reviewed, if
necessary.
AND WILL I HAVE TO
DO EXERCISES?
Your osteopath may provide
you with exercises and other
advice if appropriate. Those
who do their exercises often
get the best benefit.
WILL I NEED A GP OR
THE FIRE BRIGADE HR
TO REFER ME?
No, it is easy as you can selfrefer.
IS IT FREE?
Few NHS practices sadly don’t offer
osteopathy on the NHS, but some
do and this may be worth checking.
Otherwise, it is a private consultation
and a fee will apply. Some
osteopaths may offer discounts to
key public workers.
I DON’T WANT WORK TO
KNOW I’M IN PAIN - WILL THIS
INFORMATION BE FED BACK
TO THE FIRE BRIGADE?
No - your confidentiality is assured
and remains between just you and
the osteopath, unless you state
otherwise. Exceptions may be where
the your employer has specifically
sent you for an assessment
themselves and request a report.
GREAT, WHERE CAN I FIND
AN OSTEOPATH?
Since it is a legal requirement
that every practising osteopath
is registered with The General
Osteopathic Council, you can
search for an osteopath by location
or name using their website:
www.osteopathy.org.uk
AUTHOR: GLENN SONTAG COPYRIGHT 2015
OSTEOPATH AND DIRECTOR OF BLUE EYE HEALTHCARE LTD
DOCKLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE, 100 SPINDRIFT AVENUE, LONDON, E14 9WU
(10% DISCOUNT OFFERED TO NFB STAFF)
WWW.BLUE-EYE.CO.UK • 07816 108812
Reproduction of content, part or full, is not possible without the author’s consent.
21

WELLBEING
Blue Light Programme
Blue Light Programme - Emergency action for Blue Light staff
We’re Mind and we’re experts in mental health. With government funding, we have launched a major
new programme to help police, ambulance, fire and search and rescue staff and volunteers to talk
openly about mental health – and to find the right support.
Our independent research shows fire fighters, and other emergency service staff and volunteers, are
more at risk of experiencing a mental health problem than the general population, but are less likely to
get support or take time off work.
Our survey of 3,500 emergency services personnel found that nearly 9 in 10 emergency services staff
and volunteers surveyed have experienced stress, low mood and poor mental health at some point while
working for the emergency services. Our research also found that:
• 7 out of 10 think their organisation does not encourage them
to talk about mental health
• Over half were not aware of the mental health support their
organisation offers
• 44% thought colleagues would be treated differently in a
negative way if they disclosed a mental health problem at work.
22
Many of those surveyed experienced symptoms of stress and anxiety such as loss of sleep, loss of
appetite and anger but were still reluctant to seek support.
“I’ve been quite open about all of it with my bosses and colleagues. They have been really
supportive. Since I have spoken out, other colleagues including senior officers have told me how
they went through that 20 years ago. It’s comforting to know that I’m not the only one; that
people do get through it and progress.“ Richard, fire service

Lead the change with the Blue Light Programme
The Blue Light Programme focuses on raising awareness, tackling stigma and delivering training, and is
dedicated to supporting emergency service staff and volunteers in England with practical ways to stay
mentally well:
• Access the Blue Light
Infoline: Need advice on mental
health or wellbeing? Call, email
or text our Blue Light Infoline;
just for emergency service staff,
volunteers and their families. We
can provide independent and
confidential support, advice and
signposting.
0300 303 5999 (local rates),
bluelightinfo@mind.org.uk,
Text: 84999
• Commit to the Blue Light
Time to Change pledge:
sign the pledge and join a growing
movement of employers across
different sectors in England who
are working to tackle mental
health stigma and help keep their
staff well for work.
• Access information: Our
series of information booklets
are designed to support staff and
volunteers from the emergency
services with their mental health.
You can read them online or order
printed copies for free as part of
our info pack.
• Attend a
masterclass:
designed for linemanagers
and leaders,
spend just half a day
at one of our free
masterclasses on mental
health being delivered by
20 local Minds around
England.
• Learn about
mental health
online with our
series of webinar
films on mental health
awareness, mental
health at work and
looking after your mental
health.
• Become more
resilient - and help
others: Our pilot
resilience courses are
available to those living
near 9 of our local Minds
and are tailor-made
for staff and volunteers
who are well and not
experiencing a mental
health problem.
• Champion better
mental health: we’re
looking for individuals who
can champion better mental
health in their workplace by
running events, giving out
information and encouraging
others to talk. We’re also
looking for support from
those who have experienced
mental health problems and
who are willing to share their
stories to help promote the
programme.
• Join our peer
network: a place for
organisations to meet, talk
and learn from each other at
our regular events.
For more information on all
of the above, please visit
mind.org.uk/bluelight
Get involved
We’re Mind, the mental health charity. We won’t give up until everyone
experiencing a mental health problem gets both support and respect.
mmind.org.uk/BlueLight • bluelight@mind.org.uk
Blue Light Infoline: 0300 303 5999
@MindBlueLight #mybluelight • Mind
We’re a registered charity in England (no. 219830)
Funded by
23

COMEDY
FITZ OF LAUGHTER
BAFTA nominated and British Comedy Award winner Neil Fitzmaurice, first burst onto our TV screens in the
late 90s and then into the Noughties, both starring in and penning some of the the most successful British
comedy series of recent times.
With a portfolio as long as your arm, Neils’ accolades include many roles as a serious actor, but it his writing
and performances in comedy,that has made his him such a favourite.
Neil very kindly took time out of his hectic schedule,to talk to Richard James of FireStyle Magazine.................
Neil, how did you break into comedy?
“ It was the mid nineties and my brother had a
bar in Liverpool called Rimini’s. It was at the time
when i was trying to break into the acting world,but
not a lot was happening. My brother Tony was
about to start a comedy night at his bar and
suggested i gave it a go! After a few ‘shandies’
i contemplated the idea and told Tony
that i ‘might’ consider it. He then came
back to me and said he had already
done the posters and if i didn’t get up,
he would strangle me!
I have to thank his persuasive
approach, as having done so, i soon
found myself with the Liverpool Echo
Comedian of the Year Award. I then
went on to perform in competitions in
Edinburgh and the final of the BBC
Comedian of the Year,
where i first met Peter
Kay.
Myself and Peter kept in touch and it was then
Peter asked me to become involved and write
a part in a project of his called,’The Services’.
Things started to move very fast at this point
and Peter, Dave Spikey and I wrote,’That Peter
Kay Thing’, for which we received the British
Comedy Award.
Then ‘Phoenix Nights’ came along
which Peter (Brian), myself (Ray
Von) and Dave (Jerry) wrote
and it was a massive success. In
fact it became the fastest selling
TV DVD of all time!”
Following on from the critical
acclaim of ‘Phoenix Nights’, Neil
decided it was time for him
to concentrate on his own
project for the big screen.
24

Released in 2000, ‘Going off Big Time’ is a
dark comedy based on life in the Liverpool
underworld,with Neil playing the leading role.
It was nominated for 4 BIFA awards and also
takes its’ place on Film Fours’ Best of British list.
Neil then found himself in big demand and in
addition to roles in ‘The Office’,’Buried’ and
the ‘The Bill’,he was approached to star in
Channel 4s new comedy series ‘Peep Show’ as
Jeff, which in 2010 became Channel 4s longest
running comedy show.
‘Charlie Noades R.I.P’, another film written by
and featuring Neil in the lead role,was then
released on the big screen in 2007. The story
of a scrap metal dealer who found long lost
treasure,saw Neil return to his Liverpool roots.
Produced by his brother Tony,it co starred well
know actors John Henshaw (The Royal Family),
John McArdle (Brookside) and John Thomson
(Cold Feet) and even enjoyed a cameo
appearance from Ian McCulloch of Echo &
The Bunnymen fame. Neil was joined for the
premier of the film at the Cannes Film Festival,
by friend and supporter,Steven Gerrard. A year
earlier Neil had narrated the Sky TV production,
‘A Year in My Life’, which covered the former
Liverpool and England captain.
Also in 2007 we saw a very different Neil than the
one we were used to seeing. Neil played the lead
role in the ITV drama ‘Mobile’, where we witnessed
Neil’s serious acting,as an ex-telecoms worker
suffering from a terminal brain tumour.
After a spell hosting the ‘Drivetime’ show for
Liverpool’s premier radio station, Neil returned to our
screens. He played a manic Rafa Benitez in ‘Fifteen
Minutes That Shook The World’, a hilarious insight into
what really happened at half time during the 2005
Champions League final in Istanbul.
In recent times Neil featured as Lucky Kev in
Benidorm and even wrote one of the episodes. He
has also recently finished filming alongside Henry
Winkler (The Fonz),in the BBC production ‘Hank
Zipper’.
In addition,Neil is also filming a new series to be
released by Channel 4 next year called ‘Aliens’, a
dark comedy based on aliens living on Earth in the
fictitious town of Troy will see Neil playing the role of
an alcoholic Dad and he insists it is a, must watch!
However he has never forgotten where it all began
and Neil somehow finds the time to play resident
compere at the ‘Laughterhouse’ comedy club,
based at The Slaughter House pub in Liverpool.
I asked Neil how he now views comedy clubs and
the stand up circuit?
“ If i hadn’t taken the opportunity to do stand up when i did, then i would not of been able to have
enjoyed all of the wonderful times i have had. This is why i started the comedy club many years ago.....to
give other people the chance to give it a go. Comedy nights are special, there is a great atmosphere and
they are incredibly popular. To witness live stand-up and great talent is a fantastic way to spend an evening
with your friends, wife, partner or somebody elses partner!!”
Finally Neil, you and the cast of Phoenix Nights
broke a world record earlier this year?
“Yes that’s right! Peter (Kay) rang me up and told me about the idea. We wanted to break the world record
for ‘most money raised by a live comedy show’. We sold out the Manchester Arena for fifteen nights to put
on the ‘Phoenix Nights Live’ show and raised over 5 million pounds for Comic Relief. I think all 200,000 tickets
went in hours and it was great to catch up with all of the cast and crew again”
‘FireStyle’ Magazine would like to congratulate Neil for his fundraising
efforts and thank him for his help with this article. You can see Neil at the
Laughterhouse Comedy Club most Friday and Saturday nights. The Slaughter
House Pub. Fenwick Street, Liverpool.
www.laughterhousecomedyclub.com
25

FAMILY
It’s a fire family affair
A father and son have swapped their fire service
uniforms for academic caps and gowns after
graduating from the same course. Double
celebrations took place in the Harvey family as
Brian and Patrick received their fire engineering
degrees from the University of Central Lancashire
(UCLan).
Both men, from Trenewan in Cornwall, studied
part-time for their undergraduate degree while
working full-time for Devon and Somerset Fire
and Rescue Service. They travelled north four
times a year for two week study blocks, all with
the support of their employers.
Fifty-seven year old Brian has worked for the Fire
Service for 38 years and is currently a Fire Safety
School Manager, for the fire services Training
Academy based in Plymouth. Patrick has been
a firefighter at Camels Head Fire Station, in
Plymouth, for five years.
Brian said: “I’m thrilled and excited to have
graduated, especially at the same time as my
son. As an ‘oldie’ I never thought I would ever
get a university education. I feel very lucky and
privileged to have had the opportunity. I would
encourage any person contemplating taking on
study later in life to put any doubts behind them
and give it a go. Age is no barrier; in fact it can
even be an advantage. It’s your attitude that
counts.”
“I have devoted most of my working life to the
Fire and Rescue Service,” said Brian. “I knew I had
a solid background in this field, but there was still
much to learn. I felt this degree course would give
me new knowledge, widen my horizons, deepen
my understanding and improve my professional
standing. It didn’t disappoint.”
He added: “In the short term I hope that I will get
the opportunity to apply my new skills at work,
particularly when new buildings with fire engineered
solutions are submitted for approval. In the long
term, and with so many opportunities available in
this field, who knows where this degree will lead
me.”
Twenty-nine-year-old Patrick added: “For me this
all started when I was helping dad get his head
around some of the first year maths subjects.
Eventually I thought I might as well be doing this
for myself, so I did. Four years, plenty of books and
hours in front of the laptop later and I find myself
lucky enough to be able to graduate with the one
who started it all.
“I found the course to be a different every day. It’s
been fascinating, inspiring, thought provoking and
challenging but it’s been worthwhile. I believe I have
already benefited professionally and personally from
the information and experiences gained at UCLan
and believe it will be of great benefit throughout my
future career in the fire service.”
Father and son Brian
and Patrick Harvey
who have graduated
together from the fire
engineering course.
26
Article provided by: Suzie Izzard
Public Relations (PR) Communications Officer
Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service

National Association
of Retired Firefighters
By
Ian Ferguson. Editor of the NARF News
RETIREMENT
The National Association of Retired Firefighters was
founded in 1968 to look after the interests of retired
Firefighters, something that it continues to do to this
very day with approximately 8000 members across
England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
When you’re part of an organisation like the Fire
Service or indeed from whatever work environment
you belong to, you have the safety and security
of knowing that if something were to go wrong in
your personal or professional life, you should be
able to call on help and support from within that
organisation to help you through any problems.
However, once you retire from and leave your
employment, it can sometimes leave you feeling
alone, isolated and quite vulnerable, because it’s
sometimes difficult to know who to turn to if you’re
in need of support. This is where being a member
of NARF can help, because within the organisation
there is a lot of expert help available that can offer
support and guidance on a wide range of subjects
from pensions advice to getting help for you or a
member of your immediate family for things like
physiotherapy or just plain rest and recuperation
and you can be guided to that support by a
branch or national official depending on your type
of membership.
There is also another side to being part of a retired
members group and many might say is THE most
important aspect of being a retired member and
that is maintaining the social
aspect of being retired.
The camaraderie of being able to keep in
touch with past colleagues from the service
and also being able to be kept informed of the
developments that are taking place within the
service that we were all once a part of is very
important. It’s also important to be kept informed
of things like members who will be retiring shortly
and also those who have sadly passed on.
These are all features of being a part of a retired
members group that helps people to feel part
of the family again. Every branch holds regular
meetings, where past colleagues can have a
‘Get together’ once again and have a chat
with old comrades who still share a passion for
the service they dedicated their lives to, have
a couple of pints and put a few fires out. As the
secretary of my branch of NARF, I can say with
some confidence that it really does people good
to socialise with each other and for me to see
thirty or forty members together coming together
at meetings, seeing them laughing and sharing
memories and catching up with each other again
is very satisfying and for me is the key to what
NARF is all about. There are those of course who,
once they leave their employment, don’t wish to
communicate with anyone and if that’s how they
feel, that’s fine, but in my experience the vast
majority of retired people still want to stay in the
loop AND in the family.
If you’d like to join NARF, it’s very easy and
remember, it’s not just open to retired Firefighters,
it’s open to ALL retired Fire Service Personnel, both
uniformed and non uniformed staff from whatever
department you used to work in. I have ex Control
staff, mechanics and office support staff who
regularly attend meetings.
You can join NARF via the website at www.narfire.
org.uk or visit us on Facebook just search “National
Association of Retired Firefighters” As a member
you’ll get access to help, support and guidance
on a wide range of topics and you’ll also receive
a copy of the NARF News three times a year,
which is informative and interesting. Join now,
you’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.
www.narfire.org.uk 27

MALE GROOMING
Male Grooming Advice For Firefighters
- how to avoid getting all hot under
the collar about Male Grooming!
The image of a fireman as a macho, tough and fearless man is one we are all familiar with.
Despite the fact that the nature of the job is often dangerous and very serious this doesn’t mean
that male firefighters aren’t interested in their physical appearance. Over the past 15 years there
has been a massive cultural shift in attitudes towards male grooming. Prior to this the thought
of a man with a ‘skincare routine’ would have led to much sniggering and speculation about
his sexual orientation but thankfully times have changed. It used to be cool for men not to care
about how they looked and a ‘real’ man certainly didn’t use moisturiser!
Breaking news: there is nothing macho about sun burn and using a moisturiser
doesn’t make you less of a man. So a ‘real’ man should grin and bear it: sun
burn, dry skin, spots, chapped lips and razor burn? I say, no way! The
statistics show that the amount men are spending on male grooming products
(i.e. lotions and potions for the hair, face and body) has increased
dramatically since the late 1990’s.
“I’ve noticed that these days younger guys in the fire service are
more interested in male grooming because they are more aware
of the adverse effects of not taking care of your skin. They also are
more fashion conscious.”
Tony Formela, Firefighter
From caveman to new man:
Unless you’ve been living in a cave since 1989 (if you have
been I hope it’s not too draughty!) you can’t have failed to
notice that in this age of media saturation we are constantly
bombarded with images idealised male perfection. Now you
know how women feel! Muscular, hairless and tanned models
with rock hard six packs stare out at us from the covers of fitness
magazines, sports stars model underwear on giant billboards,
on screen we see shirtless movie stars with bulging muscles
and reality TV stars that have Botox, their chests waxed and
eyebrows plucked!
So where does that leave the ordinary man on the street who
simply wants to improve the way he looks but doesn’t have a
stylist, a nutritionist, a personal trainer and millions in the bank?
I believe that taking care of yourself and making the most of
your appearance is not just reserved for pop stars and male
models. Every man regardless of their age or income bracket
deserves to look and feel great.
First impressions:
People shouldn’t judge by appearance but they do, you do,
we all do! When you look in the mirror how do you feel about
what you see? Is there room for improvement? Would you like
clearer skin, less spots and to deal with your shaving rash? If so
then read on! You may never be on the cover of Men’s Health
magazine (sob!) or a gorgeous sex symbol (double sob) but
here’s the good news...
28

There is only ONE you! You are unique so the aim of this
article is to offer TEN TOP TIPS to help make the very best
of yourself without it taking lots of time or money.
1. Use a face wash.
Wash your face with gentle, foaming
face wash twice a day (morning and
evening) and you’ll see a marked
improvement in the condition of
your skin in no time at all. Effectively
cleansing your skin is essential for any
guy who wants to look good. Keeping
your face clean is the cornerstone
of any grooming routine. As your
face is the part of you that is most
on show it therefore makes sense
to look after it. Rather than wait for
spots to appear before taking action,
using a good quality face wash is an
effective, pro-active approach to
keeping blemishes at bay and also
helps to give your complexion a fresh,
healthy glow. Getting into the habit
of cleaning your face twice a day,
EVERY day (morning and evening) is
not only amazing for your looks but
can be really enjoyable too!
2. Use a face scrub.
What is a face scrub? A face scrub is
a lotion that contains small ‘bits’ that
when applied to the skin in a gentle,
circular motion (avoiding the fragile
under eye area) helps to remove
dead skin cells, smooth the surface
of the skin and helps prevent ingrown
hairs from developing. Use a walnutsized
amount of face scrub divide this
amount between your nose, cheeks,
chin, fore-ahead, neck and if you’re
feeling adventurous the BACK of your
neck too! Remember: you’re not
sanding floor boards so go easy on
the pressure. Your skin is delicate so
please respect it especially if you’ve
got blemished skin. Always wash
your face first and never use just
after a close shave as doing this may
seriously aggravate your
skin. Using a face scrub three
times a week will make your
skin look amazing!
3. Use a moisturiser.
A moisturiser will help hydrate and
‘plump’ the skin helping you to
look gorgeous. Apart from washing
your face the other vital tool in your
skincare toolbox is using a good
quality moisturiser. A well moisturised
face can make you look healthy and
sexier! In a nut shell a moisturiser is
designed to make the external layers
of the skin softer and more pliable by
increasing hydration (water content)
by reducing evaporation therefore
acting as a protective barrier
especially after shaving. Your face is
the part of your body most exposed
to the elements therefore it needs a
helping help to keep hydrated and
protected.
Some extra tips:
*Always wash your face first. Never apply moisturiser to dirty skin
*Don’t use a product that’s too rich and heavy for your skin type
*Avoid products that contain harsh chemicals that may
aggravate your skin
*Don’t use too much. A walnut-sized amount is ideal.
“Working in hot conditions, exposure to potentially hazardous
chemicals, stress, shift work as well as smoke inhalation can
contribute towards prematurely ageing your skin.”
Tony Formela, Firefighter
4. Don’t pick/
squeeze spots and
stop touching your
face.
We all know that if you have a
whitehead on your face then
the temptation to squeeze it is
really strong. Not only does a
‘ripe’ spot look unpleasant it
can also feel painful. As much
as possible don’t squeeze it as
it can infect the blemish further
and may lead to scarring and
as much as possible try to avoid
touching/fiddling or playing
with your spot(s) as bacteria or
dirt on your fingers can transfer
onto your face and make
things much worse so keep
fingers/hands really clean.
5. Sauna/steam rooms
for a skin treat.
A great way to look after your skin is to
have a sauna (dry heat) or spend some
time chillaxing in a steam room (wet
heat). The heat will open your pores and
release toxins which is really beneficial to
your complexion especially if you have
blemish-prone skin. Most gyms/sports
centres have a steam room or sauna so
why not pop in once a week for a few
minutes. Ideally have a quick shower
after your workout and wash your face
a mild, foaming face-wash before your
‘steamy’ session and splash with cold
water afterwards, pat your face dry with
a clean towel, apply a small amount of
moisturiser and drink lots of bottled water
to rehydrate your body. Not only is this a
great way of perking up your complexion
and increasing circulation it’s a really
effective stress-buster.
6. Use a clay face pack.
What is a face pack? It’s a cream/lotion
that you put on your face and leave
until it dries. When it ‘hardens’ you rinse
it off. One of my favourite things to do is
to apply a face pack. I’m out of control,
I know! This is particularly effective if you
have oily skin as it is a fantastic way of
drawing out impurities, tightening open
pores and deep cleansing your face. To
avoid confusion: a face-pack and facemask
are the same thing. Splash your
face with warm water, spread a small
amount on your forehead, cheeks, nose,
chin and neck (and back of neck) and
leave for a just a minute or two. Then
dampen face with warm water to loosen
the clay mask before removing with a
clean flannel or sponge. Splash face
with cold water and pat face dry with
a clean towel. Do this once or twice a
week and see how gorgeous you look!
29

MALE GROOMING
7. Don’t neglect your
hands.
Apart from the face your hands are
the area of your body that are most
exposed to the elements and the
vast majority of blokes completely
neglect them. Your hands are one
of the first things people notice
and the state of your hands (and
nails) says a lot about you. Rough,
dry and cracked hands with dirty,
untrimmed fingernails look terrible.
Few things create a worse first
impression than dirty, untidy or bitten
fingernails. Not only do chewed
fingernails look terrible it can also
lead to nail infections. Here’s my top
tip for guys who bite their nails: STOP
immediately!!! Also, avoid using
overly harsh hand-wash, washing-up
liquid or chemicals that may irritate
and dry the delicate skin on your
hands. Protect them with rubber
gloves or barrier cream. When I finish
applying moisturiser (with sunscreen
in it) to my face I’ll add some to my
hands even in winter as this helps to
protect them from the damaging
UV light keeping your hands looking
younger for longer. Use a good
quality hand-cream after you wash
your hands. Carry some hand lotion
in your bag so you’re not caught
out. Dry, flaky hands can be very
uncomfortable. Before you go to
sleep apply some moisturiser. Keep
your fingernails clean by using a
nail brush or pointed nail file after
showering (when your nails are
soft) and trim them regularly using
curved nail clippers and file off
any rough edges using a nail file
or emery board. For a professional
result why not visit your local beauty
salon for a manicure. These days
it’s increasingly popular for men to
have their nails pampered. It’s not
called a man-i-cure for nothing!
8. Feet: look after
them!
Guys, have you ever noticed
those things dangling at the ends
of your legs? They’re called feet
and it’s a good idea to look after
them especially during the summer
months when they are on display.
It’s incredibly off-putting to see dirty
toe-nails and yellowy hard, dry skin.
So keep your feet clean! Bacteria
and fungus just love damp, dark
and warm places. It’s bacteria
that causes the cheesy ‘pong’ so
don’t provide them with their ideal
environment. Wash your feet daily
(especially after exercise) and take
spare socks to work and the gym.
Change your socks regularly. Your
feet are often stuffed into tight
spaces for hours at a time gasping
for air, so occasionally take your
shoes off (when appropriate!) to let
them ‘breathe’. Dry feet thoroughly
(especially in between the toes)
with a clean towel after showering.
Use some foot scrub, pumice stone
or metal foot file to keep dead
skin build-up at bay. For a extra
thorough feet treat book a pedicure
at your local beauty salon! More
and more guys are now having
treatments like this so there’s no
need to feel embarrassed or selfconscious
about going along.
9. Nasal hair.
Have you ever been talking to friend
or family member and rather than
listening to what they say all you
can see is their dangling nasal hair?
It’s a little off-putting isn’t it? I have
often been transfixed by a dangly
growth of nose fuzz protruding
from someone’s nostril area. We
all have nasal hair but some seem
blokes seem to be cultivating it for a
charitable cause: Nasal Hair Aid!
In my humble opinion nasal hair
should remain in the nostrils and stay
out of sight. In the same way you
clip your garden hedge there is an
effective way of keeping nasal hair
at bay so you don’t frighten pets or
small children: a nasal hair trimmer!
So if nasal hair really gets up your
nose go and get buy a nasal hair
trimmer today! They usually cost
under £10 from Argos.
10. Lifestyle: nutrition,
stress and sleep.
No conversation about male
grooming would be complete
without looking at the bigger
picture. As well great skincare, what
you eat, drink and your lifestyle will
greatly affect how you look and
more importantly how you feel. My
number one tip male grooming is to
drink more water. Most guys don’t
drink enough. From the firefighters
I’ve spoken to, dehydration is one of
the major challenges they face. Not
only will increasing the amount of
good quality water (I prefer filtered
or bottled water) that you consume
greatly improve your complexion
but can significantly improve your
concentration and energy levels.
Aim for at least 2 litres a day.
Keeping a bottle of water on you at
ALL TIMES (where appropriate) will
make you more
likely to drink it, so sip regularly
throughout the day as it’s really
important to keep hydrated
between ‘incidents.’
30

Products, naturally...
I have literally tried dozens of products over the years but I’ve had the best
results with products without preservatives or artificial ingredients. I particularly
like the Bulldog skin care range as all products are less than £10.
Bulldog face-wash
This foaming face-wash is a must have for all guys who want to look after their complexions. It has a fresh, light
fragrance and is kind to the skin as it thoroughly cleanses the skin without drying it out.
Bulldog face-scrub
A face-scrub helps to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin and it ideal to use prior to shaving. The
small ‘bits’ contained in this product gently exfoliate your skin leaving it looking fresh and healthy.
Bulldog products are fantastic if you’re new to male grooming as they are inexpensive but really effective. They
also do a great daytime moisturiser as well as shave and shower gel. The whole range is made without harsh
chemicals and is therefore gentle on the skin.
Available in most major supermarkets.
Conclusion:
Maybe you’re effortlessly gorgeous and look ‘magazine cover ready’ the moment you wake up! If so then
lucky you but for us mere mortals we need a bit of help. If your routine is simply brushing your teeth twice a day
to then suddenly jump into using moisturiser, face scrubs and face packs might be too much. My routine has
evolved over 25 years. Start with small actions then build over time. Whether you have 5 minutes or 5 hours a
day to devote to taking care of your looks I hope these tips help you.
The Beckham Factor... he’s got balls!
Thank god for David Beckham! He is comfortable showing that he cares about his appearance and takes pride
in his looks. He has inspired lots of men to embrace ‘manity’ (male vanity!). Even Wayne Rooney has had hair
restoration
surgery!
As much as the stigma of men looking after themselves has radically changed there is still room for
improvement so stop putting up with feeling unhappy about your looks! A small effort with minimal expense can
not only improve your looks but can reduce stress and improve your self-esteem.
Take care, have fun and may the moisturiser be with you!
Tristan :-)
Tristan Lee
The Male Grooming Doctor
www.themalegroomingdoctor.com
“Helping Guys Everywhere
Look & Feel Their Best”
Tristan (A.K.A. The Male Grooming Doctor) is one of the
UK’s leading male grooming experts and offers 1-2-1
coaching as well as group workshops for businesses.
For more information please contact Tristan.
Mobile: 07950 009 999
Email: tristan@themalegroomingdoctor.com
31

CHARITY
In at the deep end
The Fire Fighters Charity’s Head of Marketing and
Engagement, Tim Beynon, joins beneficiaries for a
day on the programme at Jubilee House.
32
It was shortly after scanning
the programme of activities for
the day ahead that I began to
regret opting for the Full English
that morning. I would be joining
a group of nine beneficiaries
for a day at Jubilee House – the
charity’s state of the art centre
in the heart of the Lake District –
complete with informative talks,
outdoor activities, pool, gym and
hydro sessions, and, by the time it
arrived, a very welcome half hour
of relaxation.
A new recruit to the charity, I
was only in my second month as
part of the Basingstoke-based
Marketing and Engagement team
when the opportunity arose to visit
our Cumbrian base. Keen to see
at first-hand how the charity works
and who we work with, I soon
found myself motoring up the
M6 and into the snow covered
mountains of the Lake District.
Situated in the picturesque village
of Eamont Bridge, a stone’s throw
from the market town of Penrith,
Jubilee House is a purpose built
rehabilitation and recuperation
centre within 10-acres of grounds.
Boasting a fully equipped
gym and sports hall, an indoor
swimming pool, hydrotherapy
pool and a host of other
impressive facilities and teams
– including dedicated nursing
and psychological therapy
teams – Jubilee House welcomes
beneficiaries from across the fire
and rescue community, as well as
the occasional anxious marketing
type.
Offering four, seven and 10 day
programme options, I joined
a mixed group who, like me,
were starting out on their Jubilee
experience. Assembling in a cosy
conference room, safely away
from the sub-zero temperatures
outside, the day began with a talk
on expectations. Physiotherapist
Simon Savage, encouraged my
fellow beneficiaries to discuss their
expectations for the programme,
explaining how the staff team
would be available to help and
support them, while keeping feet
on the ground in terms of any
miracle cure expectations. I fully
expected, meanwhile, to be
hugely impressed by the work of
the team and humbled by the
bravery and determination of my
fellow beneficiaries, and to see
my breakfast again when I hit the
treadmill.
Next up, however, it was
back outside and into those
aforementioned sub-zero
temperatures for a 2.5 mile walk
around the local area. My fellow
walkers – all active or retired
firefighters – covered a wide age
range, as well as an impressive
array of injuries, ailments and
post-operative aches; with

knees, backs, hips and shoulders
the most common reasons for
programme participation.
However, not everyone’s reason
for referral was physical. As we
made our way down a narrow,
stonewalled country lane,
admiring the Alpine-like scenery
around us, I chatted to Adam
who told me that he was here
following a number of family
bereavements. Struggling to
come to terms with the impact
of his loss, Jubilee House had
been recommended to Adam
as a place where he could find
support, as well as some time to
himself.
Upon our return to Jubilee House
it was boots off and swimming
trunks on, a prospect which –
having a frame more Agatha
Christie than Linford Christie, and
lining up alongside a team of
seasoned firefighters – filled me
with more than a little trepidation.
I needn’t have worried,
however, as Exercise Therapist
Chris Hodgson put us through
our paces with a thoroughly
enjoyable and challenging
series of movement drills that, at
various points, had us drenching
each other with water, striding
from one side of the pool to the
other, balancing floats under our
feet and even performing an
immaculately executed aqueous
barn dance. However bizarre,
each exercise was designed to
test our movement and balance,
using the resistance of the water
to do so.
Having dried off and after a
light lunch it was back in to the
conference room for a talk on
sleep with Psychological Therapist,
Kerry Hodgkinson. With many
beneficiaries reporting problems
with their sleep, the fascinating
and insightful talk explained the
cycle of sleep and explored the
reasons why many of us have
trouble nodding off at night. From
stress to caffeine, screen time
to mattresses, Kerry outlined the
factors that can affect how we
sleep and gave us a wealth of
ideas for helping us to ensure we
get the hours we need, many
of which she has summarised
in her Shout! column on page
36. For those of us in the room it
provided an opportunity to assess
what it is that’s been keeping
us awake at night and whether
there’s anything we could be
doing differently in order to sleep
better. For shift workers, Kerry
also explained how this can play
havoc with your body clock
and outlined some steps to help
with sleep during the day, even
recommending driving home in
dark glasses in order to help your
body prepare for sleep.
The gym followed soon after,
with each member of the group
given an individually tailored
programme of exercises,
dependent on the type and
severity of their injury or area
of weakness. Everyone on the
programme had been assessed
by the clinical team at Jubilee
House the day before, allowing
the physios and exercise therapists
the opportunity to review and
tailor-make a programme
of activities and exercises to
best meet the needs of each
individual. The result saw a busy
gym with, for example, 42-year
old Walt throwing a one pound
ball against a wall to strengthen
the shoulder he had dislocated
while 76-year-old Ken skipped
across a ladder – with enviable
nimbleness – to strengthen the
knees he has had replaced.
33

CHARITY
Simon and Chris were once again
on hand throughout the session to
guide each beneficiary through their
programme, making use of the full range
of equipment available, including bikes,
balance boards and Swiss balls, as well
as head mounted lasers and a Nintendo
Wii. Indeed, Ken once again stepped up
to the plate, or rather the Wii balance
board, this time guiding his computer
animated bubble around a twisty river
course with ease, a skill I remember
failing dismally at in the comfort of my
own living room.
In a separate, nearby fitness room a
range of familiar looking treadmills,
exercise bikes and arm bikes were also
joined by a space-age looking new
addition. The Anti-Gravity Treadmill –
acquired by the charity through the
money received from LIBOR – allows
users to reduce gravity’s impact on joints
by ‘unweighting’ themselves from the
treadmill, thus allowing users to exercise
while reducing the impact on the joints
that can come from traditional exercise.
Regrettably not yet up and running,
we could but stand back and admire,
imagining an experience not dissimilar to
that of Messrs Armstrong and Aldrin. One
small step for man, one imminent giant
leap for rehabilitation.
Most obvious to me during my time in
the gym, however, was how focussed
and determined each beneficiary was
to make the most of the opportunity
they had been given. Far from baulking
at the thought of pushing or testing
themselves in a gym environment, all
were chomping at the bit to get stuck
in, grateful for the chance to attempt
exercises that had been designed
specifically for them and keen to see
what difference they may make. Also,
far from being an individual experience,
my fellow programmers supported and
light-heartedly goaded each other
throughout and, when it came to the
Wii, were keen to compete to see who
could guide the bubble the furthest.
We’d only been together for a matter of
hours but the banter was evident and it
was clear that everyone was enjoying
each other’s company.
34

A welcome tea break followed the gym before the trunks were once again unpacked for a visit
to the hydrotherapy pool. A third of the size of the pool from earlier in the day, the hydro pool was
super-heated, ensuring all who entered expelled an involuntary sigh of delight as they sunk into
the relaxing waters and allowed tired muscles to relax. Chris – leading the session from the side of
the pool – dished out an array of floats and began with a short series of movement and flexibility
exercises, before allowing all of us to lie back, supported by said floats, and relax to some calming
classical music.
No one wanted to get out. This was heavenly and when Chris did eventually call time I imagined
that this must be how my children feel when I pull them out of the bath they’d been enjoying for
the past half hour. Thankfully, however, no one threw a tantrum or refused to get dressed.
My day was coming to an end but, if the hydro pool hadn’t been relaxing enough, our final
session of the day was one entitled ‘relaxation.’ Held once again in the conference room, we
were each given a mat and pillow, the lights were turned off, some pan pipe music played gently
in the background and our instructor, Lucy, calmly talked us through a relaxation technique that
involved imagining our body getting slowly heavier and warmer. It was, indeed, relaxing and
within seconds the technique had worked brilliantly for the person to my immediate left who
began snoring with gusto.
Regardless of the nasal sounds to my side, the session was a wonderfully calming way to end
an eye opening, tiring and inspirational day. My own expectations had most certainly been
met, my fellow beneficiaries were an incredible, brave, determined and gregarious bunch who
were grabbing this opportunity with both hands and embracing all that it threw at them. My
colleagues at Jubilee House, meanwhile, were clearly a dedicated, professional, approachable
and personable team, capable of putting beneficiaries at ease and encouraging them to get the
most out of their experience. Should the need or opportunity arise for you, dear reader, to attend
the programme at Jubilee House, or at any of The Fire Fighters Charity’s three centres, I wouldn’t
hesitate in taking the chance to do so. I would, however, opt for a lighter breakfast!
www.firefighterscharity.org.uk
35

FAMILY LAW
The Family Law Company by Hartnell Chanot has been serving
firefighters and their families for over 20 years helping them
to resolve their marital disputes in a non-confrontational way.
Rachel Buckley, Director and Head of the Divorce and Finance
team explains how pensions and divorce work.
One of the main concerns for firefighters is what will happen to their
pension on divorce. They have worked hard, in dangerous and stressful
situations to build up this hugely valuable asset and understandably
want to hold on it to it in the event of a relationship breakdown.
How will the finances
be settled?
Settling the financial matters
as a result of a marriage
breakdown involves a 2 stage
process. The first is information
gathering – what assets do you
and your spouse have and
how much are they worth?
How do I get my
pension valued?
You can obtain the value of
your pension by asking the
pension department for the
“CETV” which stands for Cash
Equivalent Transfer Value.
This is the amount you would
need to purchase a pension
which gives the same benefits
on the open market. This
can be a figure running into
several hundreds of thousands
– sometimes its worth more
than the matrimonial home.
Frequently, this CETV will
under value the benefits and
therefore an actuary may
have to be appointed to
give a true value. It is very
important that the actuary is
asked the right questions as this
can make a difference as to
the contents of the report and
the recommendations made.
It is really important to get
specialist legal advice here.
What factors are taken into account when
dividing our assets?
The second stage is how should the assets be divided between you
and your spouse. The courts will try to reach a conclusion as to what
is fair using a number of factors known as “Section 25 factors”. This is
because the factors are contained in Section 25 of the Matrimonial
Causes Act 1973. These factors are as follows:
1. Income and earning capacity, property and other financial
resources which each spouse has or is likely to have in the foreseeable
future including, in the case of earning capacity, any increase in that
capacity which it would in the opinion of the Court be reasonable to
expect the person to take steps to acquire.
2. The financial needs, obligations and responsibilities, which each
spouse has or is likely to have in the foreseeable future. Needs are an
important aspect. The principle is that each party and the children
should have enough to meet their needs assessed at a standard similar
to that enjoyed during the marriage.
3. The standard of living enjoyed by the family before the breakdown
of the marriage.
4. The ages of each spouse and the duration of the marriage.
5. Any physical or mental disability of each spouse.
6. The contributions which each spouse has made or is likely to make
in the future to the welfare of the family including any contribution by
looking after the home or caring for the family.
7. The conduct of each spouse if that conduct is such that it would
be in the opinion of the Court inequitable to disregard. This has to be
very serious conduct, for example, serious financial misconduct, severe
violence or sexual abuse. The fact that you or your spouse may have
pursued adulterous relationships will not count as conduct and has no
relevance to the issue of finances.
8. The value to each spouse of any benefit which one spouse
because of the divorce would lose. This usually applies to pension
provision which includes Additional State Pension.
However, the first consideration, before looking at any of the above
factors, will be the welfare of the children. It is not to be seen as the
most important factor but it is the first factor any Court will look at.
36

What options do I have?
• Depending on what other pension provision your spouse has, you could agree to each keep your own
pensions
• Offsetting is another option - this is where your spouse could have a larger share of the other available
assets in return for you keeping all or part of your pension.
• Pension sharing order – this is where an order is made that a percentage of your pension is taken and
transferred to your spouse. Any contributions you make after the pension sharing order is implemented
will go only to your share. Your spouse would not be able to receive income from your pension when you
retire – usually they have to be aged 60 to take the benefits.
• If you are close to retirement you could see if your spouse would accept a share of the lump sum you
will receive on retirement in return for not having a pension sharing order – this may be attractive if your
spouse would rather have the capital sooner.
Will my spouse automatically get half of my pension?
Not necessarily. In circumstances where you have been in the service for longer than the marriage
and thus have pre marriage contributions there is an argument to be had that these years should be
disregarded. In addition, if your spouse has pension provision of their own this should be taken into account
as well in reducing the claim that they may have on your pension.
Overall this is a very complex area of family law. You should ensure
that you take specialist legal advice as the decisions that you take
now will affect the rest of your life. Particularly, they are decisions that
you may be taking which will affect your income on retirement which
for many may feel like a long way away but in reality it is not. You
don’t want to be looking back when you reach retirement regretting
the decisions you made.
Rachel Buckley is a Director of The Family Law Company by Hartnell Chanot. Rachel
has over 15 years’ experience in advising members of the emergency and armed
services. The firm offers a 10% discount to those who are members of the service and
offers the first appointment entirely free.
Rachel can advise on:
• Divorce • Fire service pensions on divorce
• Financial matters on separation • Cohabitation Disputes
• Pre Nuptial Agreements and Separation Agreements
• Domestic Abuse.
Contact Rachel on 01392 241595 Email:Rachel.Buckley@thefamilylawco.com
Visit Rachel at www.thefamilylawco.com
37

WOMEN IN THE FIRE SERVICE
In early June over 150 eager delegates gathered
at the 15th National Training and Development
weekend with Women in the Fire Service UK (WFS)
at the Fire Service College.
The weekend officially began after dinner with a warm
welcome by Dany Cotton, Chair of WFS as she presented the
Annual WFS Awards. This was followed by an inspirational
and amusing speech from keynote speaker, Claire Harvey,
Paralympic GB sitting volleyball team captain. Claire spoke
of the challenges she has faced and conquered after her life
changing accident in 2008.
The workshops
Excellent facilities were provided at the Fire Service College where delegates participated in
a wide range of outdoor workshops including: Multi incident scenario on the fire ground, Be a
firefighter, Drive a fire appliance.
The indoor classroom sessions included: Workplace stress, Introduction to coaching, Assertiveness,
Emotional Intelligence and Self-Awareness, Incident command and road safety experience.
Chair of WFS, Dany Cotton, said: “It’s been an amazing weekend, despite the rainy start. Upon
arrival everyone took part in the outdoor ice breaker challenge in the pouring rain, which created
a great amount of team building straight away. The teams set off as total strangers but ended up
coming back soaking wet and laughing.
38

“This year we’ve had a really wide choice
of fantastic workshops from the ever
popular ‘Be a firefighter for a day’ to the
Incident Command training. I’ve heard
nothing but praise for the class room
workshops. The emotional intelligence class
in particular has received great feedback.
Everyone really opened up and shared, so
they got a lot out of the experience.
“There are many benefits from coming
here for the weekend from networking,
bonding and building new relationships.
This results in a renewed confidence and
fresh outlook that everyone takes back to
all their Fire Services throughout the UK.
“It also gives everyone the opportunity to
recharge their batteries, especially if they
have been feeling tired at work and life has
been feeling a bit the same. They come
along here and meet a different group of
people in a relaxed environment, where
they learn from others as well as sharing
their own experiences.”
perspectives as they discussed what they would
do and how they would react to the same
incident was really interesting.
“In our working life females firefighters are still
a minority group, and may not feel confident
to put their hand up. Being in workshops with
females being the majority created a safe space
to be able to speak out.
“I’ve been a firefighter for 14 years now
and this is the first WFS I’ve been to, I would
certainly recommend the weekend to others
-– operational and non-operational. The whole
weekend provides an encouraging environment
and builds supportive relationships that continue
on after we return.”
Sunday morning started with AGM followed
by the final workshops, feedback session and
farewell until 2016.
Donna Nelmes, Schools and Colleges
Education Lead from DSFRS said: “This is
the first WFS weekend I’ve been to and I
attended three of the classroom sessions.
The emotional intelligence and coaching
workshops really made me look at how
I respond as a Crew Manager to others.
For instance if someone comes in angry
or upset, I realise how I react and listen to
them can affect the best possible outcome
for how the issue can best be resolved. By
being aware of my emotional reaction I
can improve the situation.”
Donna also took part in the IC workshop,
with training technology identical to DSFRS.
The session took place in a 3D environment,
using the latest projected interactive
simulation software with goggles to create
a 360 degree training experience.
Donna continued: “The workshop was
fantastic, involving a mix of people with
all sorts of experiences, and a variety of
working roles, non-operational as well as
operational. With each scenario we were
able to discuss all the possible outcomes.
For me hearing everyone’s different
About WFS
The WFS is a voluntary, not for profit organisation,
established in 1993 and encouraging and
supporting an environment where women
and men can work and compete together
professionally and harmoniously in the Fire Service.
39

WOMEN IN THE FIRE SERVICE
“Sunday afternoon and it is with a heavy heart that
I check out of my room and say goodbye to new
friends and colleagues from fire and rescue services
from around the UK. New friends and colleagues that
have and will form the basis of a fantastic network
of support, guidance and general friendship within
the Fire Service throughout my career and possibly
beyond; friends that I have laughed with, friends that
I have shared knowledge and experiences with and
friends that have made the Annual Women in the Fire
Service Development Weekend an event not to be
missed.”
Every year this inspiring event, run by Women in the
Fire Service (WFS), brings together delegates from
across the fire service community. But it’s not limited
to women; anyone can attend and take advantage
of the development opportunities available over
the three day conference style event, yes, there has
even been reports of men attending this weekend
experience!
From having a go at being a firefighter, understanding fire
investigation or simply learning how to get the most out
of your working life through neuro linguistic programming
(NLP), the weekend has a wide range of workshops for
operational and support delegates to book in advance.
But the development weekend is often just the beginning
of the story. Many people are unaware of the benefits
of being part of an organisation that can really support
you, in whatever role you undertake within the fire service.
WFS can be simply explained as a contact system,
introduced to provide support for individuals who may
feel isolated or be experiencing difficulties. By the simple
use of communications, WFS aims to support women
throughout the country.
Formally known as Networking Women in the Fire Service,
the organisation with members from across all roles
within the FRS community. It’s run by elected committee
members who direct the business of the organisation.
The objectives of WFS are:
• to make the FRS a place where men and women can work, and compete, together
professionally and harmoniously.
• to provide a comprehensive support network for members
• to encourage the recruitment, retention, development and progression of women within
the fire and rescue service
• to provide training and development opportunities specifically targeting women in the FRS
• to challenge FRSs on behalf of members
• to advise FRS/DCLG with the aim of creating positive change
An incredible network of regional
members, taking part in general get
togethers, organised development
opportunities and regular meetings,
helps to fulfil the objectives of WFS
and most importantly, helps support
its members. You can find out more
about activities in your region by
visiting the website www.nwfs.net
The following testimonials show why
this network really matters:
“I have a new found respect for my
operational colleagues and a better
understanding of the demands of
their role following a chance to wear
BA thanks to the WFS development
weekend.” Derbyshire member
“I had been working at a junior level and suffering from a lack of confidence.
Friends I met through WFS have encouraged me and helped me believe in
myself. I now have a new job and really feel a valued member of the team. I
can see a career path opening up for me.
“The power of a support network is unbelievable.” Anonymous
So what’s stopping you finding
out more, or joining up today?
Individual membership costs £10
per year.
If you want to know more about
WFS, you can visit www.nwfs.net
contact your local representative
(detail on the website) or simply
jump straight in and sign up for the
next WFS event taking place.
40
Fire and Rescue Services can also support the aims and objectives of WFS by becoming Corporate
Affiliate Members, please contact khsmith@tiscali.co.uk for more information.

RECRUITMENT
Off-duty
firefighter
in Highland
rescue
Station Manager Ross Nixon and members of the public went to
the aid of a man and woman after their car left the A9 near Moy.
An off-duty firefighter and fellow
passers-by sprang into action to help
a man and woman from a partially
overturned car after it suddenly
careered off the road in the Highlands.
Station Manager Ross Nixon was
driving his sons Grant, aged 11, and
Alistair, aged nine, to the Landmark
Forest Adventure Park in Carrbridge on
Sunday afternoon (16 August) when the
incident unfolded ahead of them.
He explained: “The car suddenly
veered into the middle of the road. It
was moving erratically then it left the
carriageway and went into a wooded
area.
“I pulled over and got to there at the
same time as three or four others. The
vehicle had come to rest in a bog and it
was positioned on its side with the driver
and passenger still in their seats.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
(SFRS) officer’s training kicked-in and he
quickly moved to make the vehicle safe
and co-ordinate attempts to assist the
man and woman inside.
He continued: “I applied the handbrake
to secure the vehicle as best we could
and turned off the ignition. We got the
woman out the passenger door but it
was clear the man was in a bad way.
“He was unconscious and didn’t
appear to be breathing but thankfully
he came round after a sternal rub and
we managed to get him out.
“Afterwards I had to apologise to the
members of the public for ordering
them about – you instinctively take
charge of the situation but they really
were great in helping the man and
also in reassuring his wife until an
ambulance arrived.”
With the couple in the care of
paramedics Ross left the scene to
minimise the chance of a subsequent
collision involving the cars now parked
beside the A9.
Now serving as the SFRS officer
in charge of the Badenoch and
Strathspey district, he became a
firefighter 18 years ago and believes
this incident shows the value of people
in rural and remote communities
serving in the fire and rescue service.
He said: “The latest phase of our
recruitment campaign for retained
firefighters is now open and there
are stations across the Highlands
and throughout Scotland looking for
people to join their crews.
“The men and women who serve in this
vital role respond to fires, floods, road
traffic collisions, chemical spills and
many more incidents where people
are in danger.
“It’s an incredibly rewarding job that
gives you potentially life-saving skills
and I would urge anyone who is
interested in applying to get in touch
with us.”
In return for their service RDS
firefighters are paid an annual
retainer fee plus additional payments
for every incident attended and time
spent on all activity, including training
nights, community engagement and
courses.
Applicants must be aged 18 years or
over, have a good level of physical
fitness, have the required standard of
vision and colour perception and live
or work within five to eight minutes of
the fire station.
You will need to demonstrate that
you have the potential to carry
out this challenging role through a
rigorous recruitment process.
Full details are available online
at www.myjobscotland.gov.uk,
where people can find information
regarding specific vacancies
and download the Recruitment
Information Pack.
Applicants are requested to note the
key dates for this recruitment process
as detailed within the information
pack and ensure that they consider
their availability to attend on the
dates specified, including the initial
two-week training course, prior to
submitting an application.
Further supplementary information is
provided on the SFRS website
www.firescotland.gov.uk.
41

HOME & GARDEN
Home &
Garden
with
craig
PhiLlips
42

Firestyle magazine are delighted to
welcome on board, Craig Phillips as our
home & garden expert. Craig has many
years of experience in this field and he will
be giving us his useful tips in keeping the
garden spic and span and modifications
around the home.
We all know Craig for his win in the very first
‘Big Brother’, where he very kindly donated
his £70,000 winnings to his childhood friend
and Down’s syndrome sufferer, Joanne
Harris. Within six days of leaving the show,
Craig has raised over £250,000 for life saving
treatment for Joanne.
Since then, Craig has gone on to forge a
brilliant career as one of the UK’s leading
D.I.Y and home improvement experts.
Presenting over 1.000 home improvement
shows and D.I.Y shows for television on
BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, Sky 1, UKTV Style
& Discovery Realtime, Craig has reached
millions of viewers throughout the World.
When asked about joining our team,
Craig said “the UK Fire & Rescue service
do such an amazing job, it would be a
priviledge to pass on my knowledge and
try and help those, who help us in such an
important way, day in day out, 365 days a
year!”
Craig was asked what topic he felt
would be relevant for our Autumn
edition. He advised that at this time of
year preparation and protection for your
fencing and decking was important. Here,
he gives us his tips!
43

HOME & GARDEN
It’s with great pleasure that I have been
asked to write the regular article on ‘Home &
Garden feature in Firestyle.
The first subject I am covering is protecting
your fencing and decking.
When’s a good time to maintain your
fencing and decking? With all wooden
materials like fence panels or slats that
permanently exposed to the elements, it’s
wise to do so at least once or even twice
a year if possible.
When treating your decking planks,
preparation is the key, the more time your
spend on preparing the surfaces. Not only
will they last longer but will look better too.
Start with your Jet power washer, spray
clean all the dirt and moss that may of
grown and clung to the surface, making
sure that you clean between all the
grooves were the dirt often get trapped.
You could even apply a fungal cleaner with
a hard yard brush, to help clear the surface.
Then make sure you rinse the area off
again with your Jet washer.
Leave the surface to dry off as much as
possible, mask up around all the walling
areas were you don’t want the
stain / varnish or treatment to go.
To get the best results when spraying any
surface is to use a Wagner Paint sprayer,
which are very easy to use, and you
don’t have to of had any experience to
be able to use Wagner sprayers. They are
world leaders in developing paint spray
technology.
44
Once you have filled up the canister
with your treatment and your ready
to spray, hold the unit around 4 inches
‘100mm’ away from the surface and
start spraying. It’s very important to keep
the unit moving at all times. It maybe
wise for anyone who is using a sprayer for
the first time to try it out and a old piece
of cardboard could be used to the speed
and flow of the paint. There is a paint flow
control dial on the unit to reduce and
increase the paint flow.

When spraying the decking planks make sure that you get between all the edges of each plank
and between every groove that’s been routed out of the surface of each decked plank. These
grooves are designed for a non-slip tread, so it’s very important that you get just the right amount
of treatment on the planks. Be careful not to use too much to fill the grooves but just enough to
cover and protect the area, as if you don’t, that’s when the rain, sleet and snow could settle in
there and could penetrate though the timber and start to decay it.
Preparing and maintaining your decking and fence panels regular will not only keep your home
looking great but keep the value of your house up to.
45

MOTORING
New Car Discounts for
Fire & Rescue Service
Motor Source Group has launched a new discount scheme for the Fire and Rescue Service
offering special discounts on a wide range of new cars.
Discounts are now available on Audi, Citroen, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz,
Renault, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo under the new scheme with Motor Source Group,
offering an average saving of £3,575!
Business Development Manager, Daniel Briggs, said “we have a wealth of experience offering
specialist sales to Military and Police and have been working closely with the manufacturers to
extend these discounts to the Fire and Rescue Service. But our service does not stop at great
discounts, we also want to provide a first-class service to our customers, and so we arrange
everything from sourcing the right vehicle, sorting part exchange and finance options, to
delivering your car to your local participating dealership, making everything easy and convenient
for you.”
Motor Source Group are an exclusive partner of the Fire Brigade Union and you can find a full
range of cars and prices at www.motorsourcegroup.com.
Here are some examples of the deals available:
Citroen DS3 1.2
Puretech DSign 3dr
UK RRP: £13,294.97
Save: £2,701.48
You Pay: £10,593.49
Hyundai i30 1.4
Blue Drive S 5dr
UK RRP: £15,194.97
Save: £3,495.84
You Pay: £11,699.13
Toyota Aygo 1.0
VVT-I
X-Play 3dr
UK RRP: £10,045
Save: £1,760.31
You Pay: £8,284.69
Renault Captur 0.9
TCE 90 Dynamique
Nav
UK RRP: £15,395
Save: £2,654.10
You Pay: £12,740.90
Suzuki Vitara 1.6
SZ-T 5dr
UK RRP: £15,999.03
Save: £2,165.82
You Pay: £13,833.21
Honda Civic 1.4
i-VTEC S 5dr Nav
UK RRP: £16,814.97
Save: £2,496.28
You Pay: £14,318.69
Audi A6 2.0 TDI
Ultra SE 4dr
UK RRP: £32,295.03
Save: £7,459.79
You Pay: £24,835.25
Mercedes-Benz C Class
Saloon C200D SE 4dr
UK RRP: £29,380
Save: £5,404.23
You Pay: £23,975.77
46
*Audi and Mercedes-Benz prices in conjunction with manufacturer finance deposit contribution

Volkswagen Golf
BlueMotion – Everyone
LOVES this car!
By Daniel Briggs, Business Development Manager of Motor Source Group
In partnership with
Summary - The new Golf BlueMotion TSI has all the benefits
of a car that is exempt from road tax due to its low CO2 but
has the performance you would expect from a Golf and it
comes with a good spec too – in line with the Match model you
have Bluetooth, alloys, air conditioning, touch screen onboard
information, and much more. All in all, with the Motor Source car
discount, we see the car as good quality, value for money.
Volkswagen Golf
BlueMotion 1.0 TSI Match
3dr
RRP £19,740.03
You Pay £16,674.12
SAVE £3,065.91
Interior - The Golf’s interior doesn’t look or feel as classy as an Audi A3’s, but it’s a cut above most
other rivals. There are lots of soft-touch materials and it’s certainly pleasant enough with clean
lines, all easy on the eye.
Performance – The car is powered by a 999cc three cylinder turbocharged engine produces
CO2 of 99g/km and claims 65.7mpg fuel economy. The engine is smooth, super quiet and
somewhat punchy.
Ride and Handling – Superb to drive. The steering is well weighted, while the suspension offers
an extremely comfortable ride with good body control.
Safety & Security – Every model comes with stability control, a driver’s knee airbag and twin
front, side and curtain airbags. Deadlocks, locking wheel nuts and marked mechanical parts are
all included as standard to make life harder for thieves.
Space & practicality – the boot is much smaller than the Skoda Octavia’s. On the up side, it
does feature an adjustable floor, which lets you divide the luggage space in two and reduces
the load lip when it’s in its higher setting. It also ensures there’s no step up to the rear seats when
they’re folded down.
If you want to know more call us on 01522 500 055 | www.motorsourcegroup.com
47

MOTORING
Firefighters Motorcycle Club Membership
‘Growing Steadily’ Across the UK
Membership of the British Firefighters Motorcycle Club (BFFMC) is growing steadily according to Peter Cowland, in
charge or recruitment and membership since the clubs inception in 2011. He says ‘The BFFMC was conceived as a
Chapter of the American FFMC following several trips we made with US firefighters, police officers and other service men
and women on their annual 9/11 Memorial Ride. In 2007 when we rode from Chicago to New York it was agreed that
we would start a club in the UK and so the BFFMC was born’.
The British Firefighters Motorcycle Club is a group of serving and retired motorcycle riding fire and rescue service
personnel residing in the United Kingdom. The Club was formed to honour the memory of the 343 FDNY firefighters that
lost their lives in New York City on 11th September 2001 and all other fire and rescue service personnel who have given
their lives in the line of duty during both peace and war times.
Based in Hertfordshire, the Club has a membership throughout the UK and last year, in order to manage the growing
numbers, two new Chapters were formed, one in Scotland and another in London. Peter said ‘We are delighted that so
many firefighters, of all ages and from all over the UK, want to get together, ride their motorcycles, have a laugh and
also do our bit in support of charity, road safety and ceremonial duties too’.
The BFFMC has just agreed that money collected at a number of its’ charity fund raising events throughout this year will
be donated in support of the Bike Tours for the Wounded, a charity helping injured servicemen and women continue to
enjoy riding on two wheels. Peter said ‘We are really excited about helping BT4TW and have already pledged to raise
£1000 for them this year’, He added
{ }
“Our members have strong ties to the military and when we met
them on their recent John o Groats to Land’s End charity ride
we expressed total admiration for what they are doing and now
look forward to supporting them in any way we can.”
In May this year we travelled to
Dunkirk to welcome into port all
the “Little Ships” that took part in
Operation Dynamo some 75 years
ago. In particular the London Fire
Brigade Fireboat “Massey Shaw”,
herself credited with saving over 500
lives during the evacuation. With a
mixed crew of volunteer River Service
and Auxiliary Fire Service personnel,
she answered the call and made for
Ramsgate to join the other Little Ships
heading for the beaches of Dunkirk.
Having only a very shallow draft she
was able to approach very close to
the beaches at La Panne and Bray
Dunes, and lift soldiers to larger vessels
off shore.
Onwards and upwards then, the
Club is currently planning yet another
large event next year when it hopes
to return to the US in September to
commemorate the 15th anniversary of
the 9/11 tragedy. Peter Cowland said
‘We are looking forward to meeting
up with all our friends from across the
pond and anyone else that would
like to join us for part or all of the ride
would be more than welcome. We
would also welcome any assistance or
maybe some sponsorship if anyone’s
feeling generous’.
48
For more information visit www.bffmc.org New members
always welcome. Contact Tony Smith - 07967 715 143

MUSIC
Vinyl Resurgence
Vinyl records sales continue to rise in a world where internet downloads are supposed to rule. CD sales are
dropping rapidly and it is the CD that is slowly becoming the forgotten format. Vinyl is back, not just as a novelty
item, but as an investment idea and also as the preferred method of listening to real quality music.
The people who designed today’s CD standard twenty years ago, knew that vinyl records offered superior sound
and had no qualms about saying so, it was the general public that decided to make the change having been
fooled by clever advertising and also being attracted by the size of the format and the fact that you no longer
had to get out your chair to turn the record over or to select tracks, everything could be done by click of a
button. The Record companies could not believe their luck, everyone was about to buy the same record twice.
Unfortunately digitalized music lacked the warmth
of vinyl and listeners lost out when the CD failed
to reproduce the full aural spectrum of sound
previously offered by vinyl records. Today, many
years later, and following the introduction of
downloads, people have slowly began to realise
that the quality of music is again being reduced
and this time the physical product has also been
removed. I find it ironic that the real Rock N Roll
Swindle has taken place so many years after the
Sex Pistols coined the phrase.
Nick Courtney - Sweet Memories Vinyl Records UK
visit my on-line shop at www.vinylrecords.co.uk
49

MOUNTAINEERING & WALKING
50
The Fire Service Three Peaks Challenge is a mountain endurance challenge in which
participants attempt to climb the highest peaks of each of Great Britain’s three countries,
There is no formail governing body of the
National Three Peaks Challenge. Each
year many independent teams takeon the
challenge. There are also a large number of
organised attempts made at the challenge
with the aim of fundraising for charity.
The Firefighters Charity organises one of the
largest of these events, carried out over two
consecutive weekends in June. Firefighters
from Swindon and Wiltshire form a large part
of the support team, both on the hill and at
the start and finish points. They provide not
only verification of times, but more importantly,
safety and support to the participants.
After completing the second climb, each
team must then drive to Wales and climb
down Snowdon, where the three peaks
challenge finishes.
The aim is to complete the three climbs and
all driving within 24 hours, Once completed,
each team will have walked over 20 miles,
ascended more than 10,000 feet and driven
over 500 miles.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
The three peaks are Ben Nevis in Scotland,which rises up to 1344m and is the highest peak
in the UK. The second peak to be conquered is Scafell Pike in the Lake District, England
which is 978m high and lastly, Snowdon in Wales which is 1085m high.
Each team consists of between 4
and 7 walkers and 2 or 3 drivers and
the challenge starts at the foot of
Ben Nevis. Each team must then
walk to the summit of Ben Nevis
to reach a checkpoint. They must
then descend Ben Nevis before
reaching their team minibus and
driving to Scafell Pike, where each
team then climbs England’s highest
mountain.
After completing the second climb,
each team must then drive to
Wales and climb Snowdon where
the three peaks challenge finishes.
There are many awards for
completing the challenge including
the fastest team, fastest mixed
team, first youth team and of
course, the wooden spoon! Everyone
receives a certificate for entering and
a coloured ribbon depending on how
good your finishing time is.
Anyone thinking of taking part should
have above average fitness levels as
the walk is continuously steep and
takes its toll on your ankles, knees and
leg muscles. Blisters are common and
despite taking place in the summer,
the challenge can be badly affected
by adverse weather.
There is snow on the peak of Ben
Nevis all year and the weather
cinditions on all three peaks can be
very inpredictable, so appropriate
walking clothing and equipment will
be needed.
You should also bear in mind that
sleep deprivation may also cause
you problems. Your only rest between
walking each mountain is on the
minibus whilst driving between each
peak.
The Fire Service three peaks
challenge is a great test of strength
and stamina and is the largest UK fire
service event held annually.

‘45th & 46th Fire Service Method’
3 Peaks
Challenge
‘A’ Event 26/27th
or ‘B’ Event 30/1st
June/July 2016
Fire Sport - UK
Supporting the Fire Fighters Charity
Charity Number 1093387
EVENT HOT LINE: Tel: 01722 332211 Fax: 01722 504503 Email: ludomacaulay@hotmail.com
Web: www.firefighters3peaks.co.uk
51

MOUNTAINEERING & WALKING
Well done to all who took place in the recent
Salisbury 54321 Trail Marathon in Wessex which
saw over 1,115 finishers over the combined main
Marathon and other supporting events.
The Salisbury 54321 Trail, was organised (in its 20th
year) by a Fire Sport UK events team (of serving
and retired firefighters) based in Wiltshire. Hosted at
Salisbury Fire Station, with a Check Point at Wilton
Fire Station, by Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service
*(soon to be the home of the joint HQ of the new
combined Dorset
& Wiltshire Fire &
Rescue Service
(April 2016)) and
in aid of the Fire
Fighters Charity.
The Salisbury 5-4-3-2-1 walk, or trail run is an event suited to all
the family, with a choice of distances from 5km to the more
demanding 42k/Marathon, or even a 50k Ultra Marathon. The
routes are over footpaths, bridleways and quiet country roads
in the Salisbury Wessex area. The walk/trail runs, takes you past
a variety of sites of historical and scientific interest and through
country estates not usually open to the general public. This
has been made possible by the kind permission of several
landowners along the route and including English Heritage.
For further details please visit www.salisbury54321.com
Our special thanks go to Ludo Macaulay for his help with the
articles in the Mountaineering & Walking section.
52

SPORT
Retired firefighter wins
gold at World Police
and Firefighter Games
A retried firefighter from Warrington has
brought home 10 medals from The World
Police and Fire Games (WPFG) after
spending 11 days in Washington DC
competing.
Dave Gill, who lives in Warrington,
moved through the ranks from firefighter
to Station Manager and served with
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service for
almost 30 years before retiring in June
2010.
He won seven gold medals, two silver
medals and one bronze medal over a
tough seven day period on the track at
the WPFG. He moved to the roads at the
end of the games to take part in a a half
marathon.
Dave, who is currently flying back
from the States, said: “I had to break
three personal bests to win the 800m,
1500m and 5,000m races. My last day
of competition was the half marathon,
where I ended up with a hard fought
individual silver medal, and a team
gold. It was hard running in the heat and
humidity but well worth it.”
The games involve more than 67
countries and over 15,000 participants
compete across 50 sports. It is the
second biggest sporting event after the
Olympics.
The WPFG is an event for serving and
retired police, fire, prison and border
security officers.
The next WPFG will take place in
Montréal, from July 28 to August 6, 2017.
53

It’S A DOGS LIFE
Bryn puts away his passport
Bryn the border collie has travelled the world to help
in disaster areas but now it’s time for him to put away
his passport and spend quality time at home.
Eleven year old Bryn, who has just returned from
working in Nepal following the devastating
earthquake, was trained for the UK’s international
search and rescue team (UKISAR) from a puppy.
He and his handler, Steve Buckley, are widely
recognised as one of the best dog and handler
team in the country.
Steve, a firefighter with Cheshire Fire and Rescue
Service and a member of the UK international
search and rescue team, explained how the
unique partnership came about: “I was in
India with UKISAR in 2001 following the Gujarat
earthquake. 12,300 people lost their lives. The UK
team had only one dog at that time but it was
there that I saw search dogs in action for the first
time.
“Where it could take our team two or three
hours to clear an area, despite all the technical
equipment and cameras, those dogs and
handlers could cover the ground so much
quicker. The dogs worked over a building straight
away to search out live casualties before moving
on to the next area. The speed at which they
worked clearly improved the chances of trapped
casualties.
“When we returned to the UK I put a case
together for Cheshire to have a search and
rescue dog and went to see the Chief Fire Officer
who was very receptive to the idea.”
A lady from the West Midlands offered one of a
litter of pups to the Service. At that time Steve
was a complete novice in the dog handling
world so he took a knowledgeable colleague
with him to help choose the right pup for the
job.
“There are certain traits to look for,” said Steve.
“You need a dog with focus, you need a dog
with ball drive. Bryn had both in abundance
even at 10 weeks old. You’d throw the ball
out, he’d go and pick it up and drop it back at
your feet, which is half way there. His sister was
equally ‘qualified’ and I just couldn’t decide
which of the two to have so, in the end, I asked
my god daughter to choose and it was Bryn
who came home with us!”
Once he’d settled into his Mobberley home,
Bryn’s training began in earnest. “For Bryn,
a squeaky toy is his reward. We started the
learning process with three very simple steps.
First I had to encourage Bryn to be focused
on the squeaky toy and encourage him to
bark in order to get it, secondly I had to get
him to understand the link between the toy
and humans. This was achieved by getting
people to hide with the toy, mostly my children
and god children. Once he’d made the
connection it was just a case of introducing him
to a search area, the only thing on Bryn’s mind
was getting the toy as a reward.
54

“It was at this stage that we went
to train for a week with Greater
Manchester Police where we
were given tasks and objectives.
Bryn and I then worked on the
skills we were taught for three
months before returning for a final
week’s training. Bryn was around
twelve months old at this stage
and we spent the majority of our
time reinforcing his training by
going back to every step until it
was just second nature to him.
This should have been quite a
challenge but in reality Bryn just
absolutely loved it.
“Rescue dogs are trained to
pick up the scent of a living
person,” continued Steve. “The
reality is that our role is to save
lives so Bryn will not indicate on
dead casualties – he knows the
difference. What they’re actually
smelling is the natural scent of skin
and other odours given from the
body when they are alive, which
they can do from an incredible
distance, for want of a better way
of putting it they cone in to the
strongest area of scent.
“The dog works ahead of you
and other rescue workers so
they’re not being distracted by
your scent. Then, when they pick
up on the trail, they simply bark,
and that’s when we can begin
sending down cameras into the
rubble and start digging.”
Bryn became UKISAR graded
in 2005, meaning he could
go out on search and rescue
missions with the teams. In 2009
they travelled to Zatec Czech
Republic to participate in what
is considered to be the most
stringent testing process in the
world, the International Rescue
Dog Organisation’s ‘mission
readiness test’, which consists of
seven searches over 36 hours, a
10km march, dog first aid and
working at height. They are one
of only four UK dog teams to
attain this qualification.
Steve has assessed dog and
handler capabilities in America,
Argentina, Spain, Romania,
Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary,
Saudi Arabia and Australia, as
well as being deployed on search
and rescue operations to India,
Sumatra, Japan and Nepal.
“As part of their kit, Bryn and the
other rescue dogs have special
boots to protect their paws
from glass shards, tiles, splinters
and other debris. Unfortunately
none of these were sufficient
protection, as when on a search
in Japan, Bryn got a nasty cut
on his front leg. Although we
had no vet with us, we did have,
fortunately, UKISAR’s medical
director, Dr Malcolm Russell MBE,
and he was able to super-glue
and bandage Bryn’s leg so he
could continue to work,” said
Steve.
This incident made headlines
around the world.
Steve recalled: “It wasn’t actually
a bad cut but, because he was
running around and his heart was
pumping, there was a lot of blood
on his leg.
“It made a dramatic photograph
for the front of The Daily Mail –
so much so I had to borrow a
satellite phone from a British TV
crew so I could call my wife and
reassure her that Bryn wasn’t
actually badly hurt.”
He added: “Bryn is brilliant at
finding people in the rubble, but
he is also a member of my family.
We work together each day and
go home together each night.”
So what’s next for Bryn? Although
he’s put his passport away and
won’t be going on any more
international trips he will still be
working for the Avon Fire and
Rescue Urban Search and Rescue
team (USAR). He could be
called in at any time of the day
or night to search for people in a
lot of different scenarios such as
gas explosions, terrorist attacks,
building collapses, missing
persons. He’ll carry on training
both at home and with the USAR
team.
And in between all that he’ll be
putting his paws up for a wellearned
rest, going for walks with
the rest of his gang – Steve and his
wife Sylvia have two other dogs,
Fenn and Pippa, with another
puppy arriving in the next few
weeks – and generally relaxing in
his own loving home.
55

It’S A DOGS LIFE
Dog Day
Afternoon
A three day National Search Dog Training exercise for live scent’ rescue
dogs and their handlers took place at Station 60, National Resilience.
The event was organised and
coordinated by dog handler, Paul
West who is part of the National
Resilience team, based at Fire
Service headquarters, Clyst St
George. Paul has trained and
works with two enthusiastic ‘live
scent’ dogs Mickey and Kes.
Three carefully selected locations
were chosen to fully test the skills
of both the handlers and their
dogs, ranging from open terrain
on Woodbury Common, a local
Exmouth college, to a collapsed
building scenario, vehicles
and rigs based at SHQ, Clyst St
George.
Benefits of training
Paul explained: “There is a
huge benefit for handlers as well
as their dogs at these training
events, as they experience a
variety of live scenarios in different
environments. Loud equipment
noise and distractions are all part
of the training to observe the level
of focus.
“Abilities are mixed as the dogs
range from pups of eight months
to experienced nine year olds,
but they are all experts in the
area of scent detection and they
literally hit the ground running.
The exercises give the handlers
the chance to see if there are
any issues for their dog that they
need to focus on – better to find
out while training, then at a real
incident.
“Handlers have travelled as from
far as Scotland and Wales. This
is also part of the dogs training
so they experience being
transported long distances and
living in a van for three or four
nights. The handlers have to make
sure they have enough food -
some are more organised than
others - but we should be able to
go away for a week and be selfsufficient.
“The police have been a fantastic
support and their input and
perspective has been invaluable
with any problem solving that has
gone on. They also assisted us in
the assessment of each handler
and his dog after each scenario.”
Indoor training
The interior of Rolle College
in Exmouth was used within a
scenario where dog handler and
instructor Hugh Watson from Devon
& Cornwall police was based.
Hugh explained that training in
a building is vital as a casualty
could be trapped in rubble from a
collapsed building. Corridors were
used as basic refresher training as
they provide focus, and the dogs
aren’t distracted.
Hugh said: “The emphasis is on the
dog only barking when they find
scent. It’s easy to get the dog to
bark, when they have a toy in front
of them, so this is our starting point.
They quickly realise this receives
praise. The next part of this training
progress is for them to find a
hidden person relying only on
their nose (rather than their other
senses) this again is praised and
rewarded with their toy.
56

The dogs work up and down the UK for situations
like the recent explosion in July at the Wood
Treatment plant in the village of Bosley, Cheshire.
They attend gas explosions, collapsed structures,
major road traffic collisions and missing persons.
They also team up with coastguards on cliff,
riverbanks and estuary searchers.
Graham Currie, a USAR technician and dog
handler from Essex said: “Paul West has set up
different search scenarios from open terrain,
rubble, enclosed spaces, all designed to test both
the dogs and their handlers. This ensures all our
training is in place and the dogs are achieving
live scent finds.
“They are our most valuable search tool as they
cover so much ground in a short space of time.
We’ve just been up at Woodbury Common
looking for three casualties in a large area.
Normally it would take 20 persons a whole day,
if not more to cover the same area, the dogs
searched this area in about half an hour.
“The success rate with the dogs is high and
we always confirm any search using two dogs.
Each dog will do a search individually after they
have completed the handlers corroborate to
see if their dog has indicated scent in the same
area. This way we know the exact location of a
trapped person.”
The dogs are part of the technical search carried
by USAR when searching for a missing person and
at this stage specialist equipment and cameras
would be used to assess the casualties’ injuries
and the best means of recovery.
Dog handler and instructor, Steve Dutton from
Devon and Cornwall Police said: “I was asked
by Paul West to give an independent view and
provide feedback on the search area of the
dog training, plus to help out where we can. The
police work directly with the public, so our dog
training is a different style which enables us to
bring a different perspective to the day.
“It’s great to see dogs and handlers from all
over the country bringing their range of skills and
experience. In the day to day we work with Paul
and his dogs a lot, which is invaluable as we learn
so much from each other.”
Each canine has their own unique traits and style,
so the handler’s in-depth knowledge of their dog
is vital in recognising how it is responding at a
search. The handlers benefit from these exercises
as much as their dogs.
To conclude Graham Currie was asked how long
it took for a dog to be fully trained he responded:
“To fully train a dog from a puppy can vary, but
on average it’s a year to 18 months. They are
simply worth their weight in gold.”
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BOOKS
Beyond the Flames Intro Extract
“This is a personal memoir. It offers glimpses and
snapshots that gave definition to a fire service
career that spanned the last four decades of the
twentieth century. Whilst the tales cover the people
and events that shaped and influenced my working
life, it also offers a special reminiscence of the life
and times in the long history of the London Fire
Brigade, highlighting personalities, acts of courage,
and the ultimate sacrifice that any firefighter can
make, to give their life in the performance of their
duty. All of which made this so much more than just
a job. This story is dedicated to them, the fallen.
Riding the engine…
“One of my early childhood memories was that of
running to the front window of our home to watch
the fire engines when I heard their clanging bells as
they drove up Waller Road, a steep thoroughfare
in South London. My parents occupied the top floor
flat of my grandmother’s three-storey Victorian
house. I had a grandstand view of the big red
fire engines, with their wooden ladders, as they
seemed to fill the tree-lined road, which in the early
fifties was bereft of any parked cars. New Cross fire
station was located at the bottom of the hill and
Waller Road was a frequent transit route for these
engines responding to some urgent call. The sight of
these magnificent engines with the firemen getting
dressed into their fire tunics and black helmets
always filled my childhood mind with excitement
and the hope of one day being able to join in their
adventure.”
Beyond the Flames is a captivating accountsometimes
funny, sometimes tragic, but never dull
- of David Pike’s career in, and dedication to, fire
fighting in the capital city.
As a teenager at a South London comprehensive
school, young David Pike was determined not to
follow the advice of his careers teacher; factory
life wasn’t for him. At sixteen he seized the offer of
a place as a Junior Fireman with the London Fire
Brigade and started a journey that spanned four
decades and numerous roles within the Fire Brigade.
David Pike’s book takes the reader ‘beyond the
flames’ and details a long and successful career
rising through the ranks of the London Fire Brigade.
In many amusing anecdotes, he describes the
camaraderie and epic fund raising efforts as well
as the accounts of devastating fires that sometimes
ended in tragedy.
Taking up station in London’s busiest and most
challenging fire station; Brixton, David rose to senior
rank – commanding the station through some of its
most hectic times and eventually being awarded the
Queen’s Commendation for Bravery.
A man of many talents, the author has also
managed to row himself in to Guinness Book of World
Records as he raised several thousand pounds worth
for charity, and helped to organise some of the Fire
Brigade’s most prestigious events, including Royal
visits and the unveiling of the national Blitz memorial
by St Paul’s Cathedral.
Beyond the Flames was not only a finalist in the 2014
Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards, but was
also a runner-up in the finals for The People’s Book
Prize in 2014, and was last year nominated for the
prestigious Beryl Bainbridge Award.
The reader will gain a fascinating insight into
the workings of the London Fire Brigade and the
firefighters who keep us safe in Beyond the Flames.
David has seen more than enough adventure and
danger to turn his first written work into a thrilling
page-turner for trained firefighters and civilians alike.
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London’s Firefighters
David’s newest book, London’s Firefighters, is
available to buy from 30th September…
‘London’s Firefighters is a wonderfully readable,
lavishly illustrated anthology of articles, fiction and
verse about the London Fire Brigade, most of it
gathered from the Brigade’s house magazines
London Fireman (1966–82) and London Firefighter
(1982–2005).
The book’s editor David C. Pike, himself a retired
firefighter, has cleverly selected material that
delivers both a comprehensive history of the
London Fire Brigade and a fascinating portrait
of individual firemen and women, at work and
(occasionally) at play.
The book includes vivid, occasionally harrowing
articles on important events involving the Brigade
– the Sidney Street Siege of 1911, the London Blitz
and the 1981 Brixton riots, to name just a few – as
well as covering key figures within the Brigade like
James Braidwood and Massey Shaw. The more
personal sections provide a revealing insight into
the bravery, commitment and camaraderie of
ordinary working firefighters and their families.
The numerous, often highly dramatic illustrations,
many from the London Fire Brigade’s own
collection, offer a lively commentary on the text.
All the profits from this book will go to the Fire Service charity, Firemen Remembered.’
Purchase
Information
Beyond the Flames is available to order and
London’s Firefighters will be available to pre-order
from Amazon, Waterstones, WHSmith, Foyle’s,
Blackwell’s and from Austin Macauley Publishers.
Beyond the Flames is available in paperback from
£12.99 and London’s Firefighters is £19.99.
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