Firemen putting out a fire in a Karachi factory.    — File Photo by ONLINE

KARACHI: A fire that broke out in the chemical warehouse of a plastic bag manufacturing factory in Karachi’s Gulbai area engulfed the entire factory on Sunday as the intensity of  blaze increased , DawnNews reported.

Fire tenders reached the spot from across the city.

Fire tenders of the Air force and Army had also been deployed and were making efforts to put the fire out.

The fire that begun late on Saturday rendered the structure of the building hollow causing large portions of the five-story building to collapse and had spread to an adjoining factory in the vicinity.

Two production units along with chemicals and other raw materials worth millions were reduced to ashes as a result of the fire.

Fire brigade officials declared the fire as a third-degree hazard.

Citizens Police Liaison Committee chief Ahmed Chinoy said that it was difficult to immediately bring the fire under control as there was a lack of equipment and resources, as the nature of fire was not normal. He added that water was not useful in extinguishing the fire and that additional fire retardant foam had been sought.

Chinoy further said that the firemen were trying their best to contain the fire and to stop it from spreading to other areas.

Rescue and fire teams were concerned about the fire spreading to the basement of the factory which contained drums of inflammable and explosive chemicals and were instructed to maintain a distance from the fire site keeping in view the fear of an explosion.

Smoke billowing from the fire was visible from miles away.

Some fire experts suggested that attempting to put out the fire with water was useless as chemical fires can only be extinguished using a special kind of a fire retardant foam.

A large number of people had gathered to spectate the site of fire.

In another unrelated incident a warehouse storing wooded goods caught fire in Orangi Town area of Karachi. Fire tenders were dispatched to the location to put out the fire.

For some reason, being “nice” is now perceived as some kind of put down. Used to refer to someone who boring, bland or insipid, it’s used as a derogatory term – instead of something to be revered.

I say we need to bring back “nice”. Resurrect it from the dead and all nice people should sport their niceness with pride.

Nice needs to come out of the closet and strut its stuff.

I know being nice probably sounds very Brady Bunch but what’s so wrong with caring about your fellow human being and developing a bit of character? Shouldn’t we be encouraging giving instead of taking? Building community?

I was reminded again about the importance of supposedly old-fashioned niceness on Friday when we attended the finale of Fill the Boot, a fundraiser run by the Fire Brigade to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation. We were there because my auto-immune disease is a neuro-muscular condition and I am a member of Muscular Dystrophy NSW. To read all about Fill the Boot, you can read my previous post and click here for the official web site: http://www.filltheboot.com.au/

We had such a fabulous day and experienced the very best of human nice and kindness that I had to share it. Here are a few vignettes from our Fill the Boot Day, which might just restore your faith in human kindness. I’ve listed them in chronological order as the day unfolded.

Some firies at the North Sydney Olympic Pool

Firstly, there was the fundraising by the firies. Firies are wonderful people who put their lives on the line everyday to save others. Yet, they found the time and energy to get out there and raise money for us and I really appreciate it! They managed to raise $100,000.00 for the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation. Yippee! That’s a lot of chocolate… oops! I mean research!

The kids with Luke.

Secondly, we not only met Luke Jacobz, Host of the x Factor, he actually spent time with us – real time. I have to laugh because when I first met him, he was wearing an Olympic gold medal around his neck and I thought he was one the athletes. Go Ro! I have watched the x Factor but I don’t watch a lot of TV and I’m certainly no celebrity chaser. I honestly didn’t recognise him.

Luke was genuinely very, very nice and one of those rare people who are very attentive and really listen to you. Mister and Luke had some very long discussions about something although none of us can quite remember what they talked about. I do remember Miss talking to him about her tooth falling out and how she’d found fairy dust on her hands the next morning along with a $5.00 note from the tooth fairy. As I said, Luke was very attentive and asked her questions and took a real, genuine interest. He wasn’t looking over his shoulder for someone more interesting to chat with. The kids really appreciated this. Not because he is the host of the X Factor but because he helped them feel special, loved and treasured. They were glowing. It really touched me to see them so happy. We have had some very tough times and it meant the world for me to see them smile and have so many deep belly laughs.

Kags & Mister

Kags from MDNSW also did a pretty good job at making the kids laugh and feel special too. I’ve been asked when they’re going to see Kags again.

Kags & Miss at the lunch.

The kids with Kate, Luke and the gold medal.

Thirdly, Cate Campbell shared her precious Olympic Gold Medal (or “mettal” as Miss called it) with us. It was only when I arrived home and was talking to my husband, Geoff, that the enormity of that hit me. The kids were able to wear the medal round their necks. When I was a kid, I wasn’t even allowed to touch Dad’s good crystal wine glasses. They were very, very precious. Yet, Cate trusted my kids, complete strangers, with her very precious, irreplaceable Olympic gold medal. This wasn’t just some plastic replica you find at the $2.00 shop. It was the real thing. That was very, very nice!

Miss with the gold medal.

Cate also spent time with us and I must say I enjoyed watching her swim. She took freestyle to a whole new level and had something like the grace of a swan. Needless to say, it was quite a different experience to what I’m used to at swimming lessons!

Fourthly, a fireman drove my car across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and into the Sydney Fire Station. I always feel a bit silly about my nervous driving even though I am spatially challenged. However, I was able to voice my concerns to MDNSW who sent Kags along as navigator. But then a fireman offered his services so how could I resist?  I decided that driving home across the Harbour Bridge would be a better time to extend my driving prowess. As it was, because the fireman was driving, we ended up at the tail end of the street parade featuring the beautiful historic fire engine. It was quite exciting being part of the action.

The Kids with Blazer.

Fifthly, the firies gave the kids caps and toys. This might not sound like much but it meant the world to the kids. Mister was given a cap from the Sydney Fire Station, which is almost glued on his head. He loves it!! He even took it to bed with him. He was also given a patch from the Northern Territory. Miss was given a cap from the Tasmanian Fire Service, which was very special because Geoff comes from Tasmania. A firey from  Brisbane’s Roma Street Fire Station gave each of the kids a fire fighting koala bear called Blazer. They love him. We have also been invited into the Roma Street Fire Station when we’re in Brisbane next and hope to get there in January. There were other gifts, I’m sure. The kids were spoilt!

I always appreciate that whenever I go to functions organised by Muscular Dystrophy, that I feel so loved, valued and accepted. I always feel like I’m floating along in a wonderful love bubble. This isn’t because people feel sorry for me or pity me but they do acknowledge what we are going through. I have found everybody I meet there truly inspirational and so encouraging. Pretty much most of us are living life to the max…our max anyway. I often find that when people are challenged by adversity they can actually achieve the most amazing things. People find strength seemingly out of nowhere and it’s just amazing and seemingly quite illogical

It’s now Monday night and that fire brigade cap is still glued to Mister’s head..

This morning when I dropped the kids at school, one of them piped up in the car and said: “we are the luckiest kids in the whole wide world.” That’s what being nice does. It builds people up. Helps them feel good and makes the world a better place.

In a world where being known as a “hater” in some circles is cool, I’d much rather be “nice”.

Wouldn’t you?!!

If you enjoyed this post, I recommend reading my previous post The Love of A Stranger.

Love & best wishes,

Rowena

On Friday, the kids and I went to the finale of Fill the Boot, a national fundraiser for Muscular Dystrophy run by the fire brigade.  My auto-immune disease is a neuro-muscular condition and we receive support and much encouragement from Muscular Dystrophy NSW.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge and the big boot.

The kids and I headed off to North Sydney Olympic Pool. To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure what was happening. I was mainly interested in the next part of the day… having lunch and a tour of the Sydney Fire Station, Australia’s oldest fire station. I have loved fire engines ever since I was a kid when my brother and I wandered out of our grandparents’ home to visit the local fire station around the block.

However, the action at the pool exceeded my expectations. You see, the event was hosted by Luke Jacobz, Host of the x Factor. Now, I’m not one of these celebrity worshipping types so going somewhere just because someone famous is turning up, isn’t my scene. However, Luke turned out to be really lovely. We met Luke by the pool and it was all very casual and low key. He was wearing a gold Olympic medal round his neck and me being me, mistook him for an Olympic athlete. Good one Ro!

Miss wins gold!

The gold medal or “mettal” according to Miss, belonged to swimmer Cate Campbell who was a member of the team who won gold in the  4 x 4 100 Metre Women’s Freestyle Relay at the London Olympics. We had the opportunity to meet Cate and the kids were each allowed to wear the medal around their necks, which was such an amazing privilege. The enormity of that only sunk in once we met up with Geoff. Most of us don’t get the chance to even see a real Olympic gold medal let alone touch one. Moreover, when you’re a kid, you’re constantly being told not to touch just about everything, so it was very special they could touch something so precious!! Thank you Cate!

I of course was too busy photographing the medal to wear it myself but it was amazing.

The kids had a ball!  Kags from Muscular Dystrophy NSW was playing with them giving them piggybacks and spinning them around and they also spent quite a lot of time with Luke Jacobz who heard all about Miss’s tooth falling out and about how she’d even found fairy dust on her fingers. Luke was fabulous with the kids and so genuinely kind and very attentive. He is just one of those fabulous people you enjoy being around. I couldn’t resist getting my photo taken with him when he had his shirt off. This is what Mum does when she goes to Sydney!

I have the x Factor!

The relay was fun. The firies, Luke and Cate raced in the pool with the boot on a surfboard. You know, Luke almost kept up with Cate but something tells me that she might have been taking things a little slower than usual.

The boot.

Cate also did a demonstration swim. That was pretty amazing. I’m not into swimming but her stroke was quite beautiful!

The kids were pretty good but Miss literally had to test the waters. It was a really hot, sunny day and I shouldn’t have been surprised that she ended up in the pool but did she have to immerse herself fully dressed? One minute, she was as pretty as a picture wearing  the beautiful pink dress Grandma had bought her and the next she was literally dripping wet right when we were about to leave for the lunch. I was gobsmacked. I could just see the Fire Commissioner being thrilled about puddles on the floor of his historic Sydney Fire Station. Drip! Drip! Drip!

Fortunately, the dress somehow managed to dry off by the time we arrived.

Speaking of getting to the lunch, I did have grand plans of driving us over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Anyone who has been following my blog, will know that driving isn’t my thing and anyone who knows Sydney, knows that the Sydney Harbour Bridge is the great divide. I’m not the only one who avoids driving over the Bridge.

As it turned out, one of the firemen drove my car in for me. I felt very relieved and the car even ended up at the tail end of the Fill the Boot street parade heading up Bathurst Street. That was awesome. There was the historic fire engine up the front with Luke and Cate on board  followed I think by a few fire engines, a Police car and then us in our blue Pulsar with the fire man at the wheel. It was a hoot!!

Mister wearing his cap.

The kids were given the royal treatment. They were each given fire caps. Mister’s came from the Sydney Fire Station crew and he was given a shoulder patch from the Northern Territory and Miss’s cap came from Tasmania. They were each given a soft toy fire fighting Koala called Blazer from the Roma Street Fire Station in Brisbane. They loved all their gifts! Mister has barely taken the cap off and even took it to bed. It’s almost become grafted to his head.

The kids driving the historic fire engine.

They also spent considerable time “driving” the historic fire engine which was parked out the front at the lunch. They had a ball. A fire engine is always hard to beat.

As the event drew to a close, we were given a personal tour of the fire station and we were even taken upstairs and shown the basketball courts and the gym. The kids wanted to see where the fire man slept but he said his room was a mess.

Lunch over, it was time for my next big driving challenge…taking on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Of course, it was easier driving home and it is a trip I’d done a lot many years ago when I lived in the city. Still, it has been more than ten years since I’ve driven over the Harbour Bridge so I was pretty chuffed.  The kids congratulated me as well!

It was a most perfect day!

Thank you from the very bottom of my heart!

xx Rowena

PS When I was dropping the kids at school today with their fire hats and photos for news, they said “we are the luckiest children in the whole world!” Isn’t that awesome!

New Director left blanket on

“Bloggy blog blogy blogy blogy blogy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

NOEL: What’s that Blogface, what!!????? CABINET GALLERY IS ON FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OHMIgosh call the firebrigade…. not!!!!

“BLOGY BLOGY BLOGY BLG BLOG BLOG BLOG BLOGG BLOG blog blog blog bloggy bloggy blogy bloggy bloggggy blog bloggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

NOEL: Yes I know why this happened my spotty mate! It was because Margaret Thatcher milkk-snatcher and her fellow TORIES stole the old people’s pension heat credit vouchers last winter, and now OLD GRANNY McGeown cant afford his/her central heating bills, so had to use an ancient and DEFECTIVE electric blanket from the 1960s to try and warm the old curiosity shoppe (AKA Cabinet)!!!

What will they think of next?

“BLOG BLOG BLOG!!!!!”

Fire was a major issue in old Sydney.  Most of the buildings were built from timber, there was not a permanent fire brigade and when they turned up, water pressure was not the best. Before the 1830s, fires were most often fought by the occupants with buckets of water or by knocking over the building before the flames could spread.

In May 1836 the Australian Insurance Company began to insure against fire in Sydney.  This was the first organisation to address the issue.  The Company also kept fire buckets, ladders and axes at a premise in Sussex Street and one on the wharves at Darling Harbour.  To identify who was insured, the company issued small firemarks or plaques that could be attached to the insured buildings.

Official measures came the following year when the first building act was enacted.  The City of Sydney Building Act established a building code which included the erection of party-walls between terraces to stop fire spreading, set up firecocks’ on water mains throughout the city and added an incentive to fire companies to attend fires.  The first engine to arrive and put water onto the flames received 30 shillings (more than the average weekly wage), 20 for the second (still more than some people earned weekly) and 10 for the third.  Further, those wharfies who joined the firemen were exempt from having to serve at sea as mariners.

Soon after the formation of the Australian Insurance Company fire brigade, others began to appear, with the Alliance Insurance Company and the Barracks Brigade, operating from the military barracks in George Street by 1840. However a fire in 1840 at the Theatre Royal and Hotel between George and Pitt Street (near Dymocks) that destroyed the theatre, the 100 room hotel, four houses and stables illustrated the inadequacy of the military brigade.  Their hoses reached less than one storey and soldiers were caught looting the burning buildings.

Parramatta volunteer fire brigade 1871

The result was the first official brigade, with the Barracks Brigade taken over by the police force with an inspector, two sergeants and eight constables appointed.  Although it only lasted about 18 months, it was the first attempt at some organisation.

In 1842 the first two fire engines were imported by the Mutual Fire Insurance Association. These ‘engines’, were powered by a manual pump and so were only as effective as the men’s stamina.

Despite improvements in fire equipment, insurance brigades still only attended fires at buildings with a firemark.  The problem with this policy for the city was graphically illustrated in 1853 when the Kent Brewery of Tooth and Co on Broadway burnt for five days.  This prompted the Government to try to introduce legislation to form a fire brigade, but this failed.

Andrew Torning, founder No1 Volunteers, fire fighter, artist, actor, painter. 1876

The Tooth fire prompted new volunteer brigades to form.  In 1854 the former Victoria Theatre Fire Company was re-constituted as the Victoria Volunteer Fire Company No.1 with a new imported manual fire engine known as ‘Pioneer’.  Led by theatre owner Andrew Torning the Company built a fire station in Pitt Street, Haymarket which served the company between 1856 and 1886.  This fire station still stands opposite Belmore Park, the oldest fire station in Australia.

No.1 Brigade was soon joined by No.2 Brigade based in Phillip Street.  In 1859, the first suburban brigade was established at Parramatta.

In 1865 the Insurance Company Brigade purchased the first steam powered fire engine.  With a greatly improved performance it prompted the No.2 Volunteers to get one the next year.

The existence of two types of brigades, the Insurance Brigades and the Volunteer Brigades led to some unfortunate rivalry.  In 1875 volunteer fire fighters and insurance fire fighters squabbled in the street as the Castlemaine brewery burnt behind them.  Scenes like this saw more pressure on Government to form an official brigade.  In 1880 9 brigades, led by the Insurance Brigade, formed a Metropolitan Associated Brigade and lobbied Government for action.

Finally in 1882 the destruction of the Garden Palace forced the issue.  With the defeat of Parkes’ Government who had differed on the issue, in 1883 the Fire Brigades Bill was passed through Parliament 29 years after the first version was put to Parliament.

The establishment in 1884 of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade gave the old volunteer and insurance brigades three options.  Join the MFB and be subsidised by Government, go it alone with no help or disband.  Of the 27 different brigades, 16 joined the MFB, 6 went it alone and 5 disbanded.  The first to join was the Theatre Royal Brigade, 44 years after their old theatre had burnt to the ground.

Want more? Try Colin Adrian’s book: Fighting Fire

“I was late for work as I drove my car off of somewhere I wasn’t supposed to drive off.” etc.

We’ve all been there. On the last minute for work, or even, say, 33 minutes and 7 seconds late, and you need a reliable excuse. It doesn’t matter what really happened, such as over sleeping, or being stricken with scurvy, or being malodorous with gout. You need a proper excuse, one that’ll boost your Cool Rating amongst your peers. The best thing to do here is to actually MAKE SURE you suffered the ordeal you invent. So then it’s not actually false, and indeed, you can relay the tortuous information with a sense of realism even the best thespians in the world (such as Keith Chegwin) would be so very, very, very proud of. Quite. This, naturally, does mean you will have to face a fair bit of pain and humiliation but, when it comes to your career, there really is no alternative.

So, without much further magoo, here are the best excuses ever! Huzzah!

———————

And here they all are! Feel free to use any of them during yor future working days (which you will be late for). However, don’t blame us if your attempt at any of the below backfires. Indeed, this is on your head and your brain only. Anyway, imagine, before providing one of the explanations below, your boss storming up to you red faced and demanding, “WHY ARE YOU LATE <insert name here>!??!?!?!?!?!?” Put on your puppy dog eyes and reel one of the following “orf”. Innit, geez.

“I heartily apologise. I had been plucking my lengthier nostril hairs with unwashed barbecue pincers and inadvertently managed to break my nose. I then had to reset my nose by getting my wife/husband/son/daughter/lover to drop our television set onto my head. Once I regained consciousness I rushed into work.”

“My foot got stuck in the toilet bowl. What was my foot doing in the toilet, you ask? Why, I was merely trying to unclog my toilet, dear sir!”

“Unfortunately I had to attend a wedding this morning. Whilst at the wedding I began to weep uncontrollably, and this emotional display began to disrupt the service. It was deemed by the Wife To Be that the only feasible way to quieten my verbose rampage was to get the Vicar to strike  me very violently with his copy of the bible. Unfortunately this only succeeded in breaking my nose, which I had to have reset by the Best Man. To do this he punched me very violently in the face with his fist. I was then ordered to go to work as punishment for disputing the service.”

Good old aliens!

“I stubbed my toe on a Rottweiler, who proceeded to savage my right leg. To desist the beast from this activity I asked him, or her, very politely to stop said activity. When the beast did not desist from said activity I decided to take drastic action. Summoning myself, I seized myself by the throat and began to throttle myself until myself passed out. The plan here was to make the dog believe I was dead, thereby removing the dog’s interest in my alleged corpse. This plan backfired as the dog, who I later learned is called Fido, proceeded to eat my hair. This explains why I no longer have any hair.”

“Whilst purchasing sandwiches for my lunch I accidentally managed to steal several items from the store. I was pursued down the high street at speed by several security guards as they shouted such foul untruths such as, “Stop thief!”, “Thief”, and, “That bastard stole a bag of bonbons!”. The fire brigade were called out to arrest me, and as I refused to stop running they eventually ran me over so they could question my actions. After twenty minutes of sobbing and pleading I was released with a caution. Consequently I have no food for lunch, apart from this chewing gum stuck to the sole of my shoe.”

“Whilst cooking my full English breakfast I accidentally set fire to my dressing gown. I had worn this dressing gown every morning since 1986 and had grown quite attached to it. Nevertheless, my sudden eruption into a ball of fire proved somewhat distressing. My survival instincts kicked in and I realised I needed to put the fire out. Knowing it had not snowed since last year, I figured the chances of rolling around on the wet snow in my garden would probably not be the best option. Regardless, I went to check to see if it had snowed or not. As it hadn’t I returned to my kitchen to think the situation over. By this stage the dressing gown had melted into my skin and the fire was reduced to a smouldering mass of smoke. As the issue was now solved I came into work. The reason I am late is due to my car not starting.”

“I was abducted by aliens.”

It has come to my attention that the BBC published excerpts from a leaked document that proposes the closure of several Fire Stations within Tower Hamlets. Fire Safety is one of the most important safety features in all our lives.

The following stations are under discussion for closure: “Acton, Belsize, Bow, Clapham, Clerkenwell, Downham, Islington, Kensington, Kingsland, Knightsbridge, New Cross, Peckham, Silvertown, Southwark, Westminster, Whitechapel and Woolwich”.

Whilst Neighbourhood Watch is primarily concerned with crime, NW also cares for vulnerable neighbours, and responds to wider safety features of a community, which also concerns Fire Safety. THNWA welcomes that only modern stations should serve the community and I would recommend that individual watches discuss emerging safety concerns through propose closures with their SNT teams who can lobby the London Fire Brigade on the spread of available Fire Stations in the borough.

Within Tower Hamlets stations in Bow and Whitechapel are being discussed for closure, which is particularly dense both in population and business.

I think we need to await proposals how the community fire safety is proposed to be ensured, rather than rant away in the usual manner about loss of jobs and old stations being closed to score political points.

I am certain that SNT officers have a fair amount of say in proposals that concern fire safety and they are the best persons to be consulted for Neighbourhood Watch coordinators. Neighbourhood Watch will have strong lobbying power in proposals to do with fire stations and engines and officers available in the area.

We should argue in terms of population density, traffic situation, meaning, how easy is it for fire engines to reach areas in times of emergency at all hours. A public consultation must take place prior to any changes being made.

The final plans published on the London Gov website:

https://www.fire.qld.gov.au/ - learn more about the fire department and see what else you can do to help.

http://rfbaq.org/ - (The Rural Fire Brigades Association Queensland) become a volunteer for your local fire brigade, donate money or just buy a raffle ticket to be in the running to win prices whilst helping to support your community heroes

http://www.fundraising-ideas.org/find/firedepartment.htm - find out different ways to volunteer and help out without even leaving your room!

So, half asleep, I stumbled outside in my nightie that has sheep on it and stood with my family as we waited for the fire brigade. Mom informed me that our chimney had set on fire and random shit was coming back down the chimney and basically setting our living room on fire. The smell of smoke was everywhere. It seemed pretty bad at the time but when the firemen finally got here, there wasn’t really much for them to do, it kind of went out by itself. And they sent SIX firemen out to us. SIX. Bless ‘em. We pretty much only needed one guy. Still, at least they were prepared. They cleaned our chimney and we were very grateful. Cheers firemen dudes.

I did pretty much nothing for the rest of the day. Just lazed around and watched How I Met Your Mother episodes for most of the day.

SUIT UP.

Bye bye ^__^

Residents of Melbourne’s affluent inner suburbs can expect a significant increase in their taxes on July 1 of 2013 following introduction of the Baillieu Government’s fire services levy.

The new model will see fees calculated against the value of property, rather then traditional method where levies were  determined by insurance premiums and household risk.

Resident of Prahran Ian Bennett said the new fire services model is unnecessary and isn’t going to benefit a community that is already finding it hard enough to cope in a struggling economy.

“The levy is a stupid proposal, I shouldn’t have another tax for a service that I don’t need, those who actually use the service should foot the bill,” he said.

The changes have been influenced by the recommendations from the royal commission on the Black Saturday bushfires and will now see a larger group of people and organisations contribute to Metropolitan Fire Brigade and the Country Fire Authority.

Municipal Association of Victoria CEO Rob Spence said that the proposal would be greeted with frustration from both homeowners and council officials.

“Councils are quite rightly incredibly annoyed and upset about this, they don’t want it” and there will be “serious community concern about this when the people get the bill,” he said.

Residents of Prahran can expect a
shock when they receive the new
Fire Services Levy

What has become clear, however, is this government’s absolute intention to reform everything in sight.  I was watching the BBC London News last night and the lead item was about the proposed reform of the London Fire Brigade.  As part of this craziness called Cost-Cutting they are faced with having to save £65 million from their budget.  This maybe not be a huge amount when compared to savings needed to be found by each and every police force but it represents approximately 840 job losses, 30 Fire Stations to be closed and 30 Fire Engines ‘scrapped’.  How can you close 30 Fire Stations in one city and not affect response times, service to the public and overall efficiency?  Will more of our houses be at risk of burning down now?  Earlier this year the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority outsourced the London Fire Brigade’s control room to Capita on a 10 year contract (does that sound familiar?).  A quick look at the Fire Brigade Union website shows that this course of action is being mirrored all across the country.  In almost every county there are cuts to Front Line fire services.

Earlier this month the Public Accounts Committee published its report entitled Transforming NHS ambulance services.  It is clear from the ‘Conclusions and Recommendations’ section of this report that the Home Accounts Committee do not really understand the Ambulance Service and how it operates.  With reforms to the NHS seemingly going ahead apace it seems only reasonable to assume that the Ambulance Service will be ‘reformed’ sooner or later, and that can only mean one thing, a reduction in funding and probable outsourcing of some functions.  Who knows we might even see G4S Ambulances on our streets before very much longer.

So if any of you were still in any doubt whatsoever about this ConDem government of ours, the truth is out there.  They are intent on reforming ALL of the Emergency Services, and by reforming I mean ‘cutting back’, slimming down’.  These people would have us believe that they are not stupid, so they must be able to see the consequences of their actions.  Cut Back on the Emergency Services HAS TO put lives at risk.  The public, the Firemen (sorry ladies), the Ambulance workers and Paramedics and the Police Officers.

The Emergency Services are not immune from making savings, I’m sure we can all identify areas of excess and wastage and remedy the situation, but there has to be a limit.  Not a single person’s  personal safety should be put at risk for the sake of Reform.  Reform the House of Commons, I’m sure there’s some wastage of public funds goes on there.  Reform the Banking Industry, they seem to have got us into this mess.  Do not dismantle the Emergency Services, quick to do but not so easy to put right again afterwards.

Just a little note to let you know that yesterday we went to a friend’s house for a braai and there was an accident involving Liam, a wooden bat and our friend’s child’s nose. The pleasant afternoon ended very abruptly in lots of blood and crying and a sudden visit to the hospital. Liam was very upset and I just wanted you to know in case he is out of sorts today.

…And so it begins. This mother of boy children braces herself and, with a mental shake, prepares for the inevitable physicality and impulsiveness that apparently comes with a boy child’s life.

As well as two boys, currently aged seven and five, our family also includes a Dobermann. A hound of the female persuasion, our darling Sasha is a big galumph. She is a klutz of the first water. There is nothing graceful about her in motion over short stretches. However, it’s a different story when she is running long-distance through the park, when the Dobermann’s heritage, which apparently includes greyhound bloodlines, then comes to the fore. At those moments, she is a thing of beauty and a joy forever, somewhere over there in the green yonder.

However, when Sasha is not running through the park, but instead through our house, she is a big galumph who skids around on our wooden floors and the occasional loose rug like a ping-pong ball forever unleashed inside a gravity-less scientific chamber. She is a soulmate to my firstborn. They were made to be mates.

Sasha doing ‘the happy dance’

Oh, but I see hard lessons ahead!

We had the hardest of hard lessons on Sunday already. My little man, as my dear friend and fellow boy-mom exclaimed upon hearing the story, is in no way a malicious child and anyone who knows him would know immediately that it was an accident (and for this kind endorsement I thank you most sincerely, dear Z). But he is an impulsive young soul and it will be a torment to him for some time to come that the ill-fated bat was launched from his hand.

He is also a very strong young man, and for his age a very big little boy. Combining my husband’s tall genes with his grandfather’s stocky tendencies, he was fitting comfortably into clothes for a nine-year-old when he had just turned seven. He has always been really big for his age – a baby giant even when he was a baby.

Little Liam – the biggest in his first ever pre-school class

Now add an impulsive, dreamy, accident-prone personality into this physical mix and you can see why I am fretting. After all, he lost his first tooth the day before his fifth birthday – root included – because he fell off a windowsill and cracked his jaw onto a chest of drawers below. (Oh, how we mourned that tooth and its premature departure for the next two and a half years…) And who does he get the impulsive dreaminess and accidental tendencies from?

Yes, indeed, that would be me.

His mother.

The same person who once briefly took up skydiving and flew into a large bluegum tree on her second jump.

I will maintain forever that the Potchefstroom fire brigade did very commendable work that weekend, although I do think that bringing along two fire engines and erecting two ladders was arguably not entirely necessary and that possibly they were just using my predicament for some unusual technical practice. I shall also not mention the ‘reserve ride’ that took place on my twelfth jump, other than to say that the reserve parachute was set to be released automatically anyway and I am quite proud that I actually pulled the cutaway myself. It was, of course, a pity about the hard landing but no bones were broken, after all, and spectacular bruises are inevitable when one’s eventual arrival back on terra firma includes three unintended forward somersaults.

Pause.

Thinks.

Note to self: we will need to steer Liam away from skydiving, rugby and possibly horses. And perhaps mountain bikes and hockey and cricket and…

Yes, I can see straight away that I have got a great strategy going here – not.

Oh dear.

I think perhaps I am not ready to be a boy-mom.

Yes, yes, I know I’ve had seven-plus years of it to date, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready yet. I think I need a little more practice.

Perhaps we can wrap Liam up in cotton wool for a couple of years and I can practise being a boy-mom on his younger brother, Matthew, who seems to have inherited his father’s more careful attitude towards life and a pre-disposition towards being soulmates with the cat – a far more precise and careful animal than the Dobermann.

My friend Vincent

Pause.

Thinks.

Note to self: that would be the same Matthew who’s had his right big toenail torn off twice already in two separate accidents – the second time on his fifth birthday. (What is it about fifth birthdays in our house?!!) And that would also be the same Matthew who hero-worships his big brother and is forever getting banged up running around after him trying to keep up, yes?

Yes.

So no, that doesn’t seem to be a strategy either.

What to do… what to d…

Pause.

To sweep up broken coffee mug shards and mop up coffee from aforementioned coffee mug, which broke when I placed it carefully in mid-air instead of on the table while mentally proofing the early paragraphs of this blog post without looking at where I was placing said coffee mug.

Yes, it would indeed seem to be in the genes.

Case closed, and karate lessons here we come. Apparently karate helps to instill discipline, self control and an awareness of one’s body in space – what more could a boy-mom ask for!

Pause.

Thinks.

I wonder if they take Dobermanns?

Dedicated to all those in the Fire Brigade, especially one fireman –
Divisional Commander Stanley Edmunds 1918-2007
(my Grandad)

The unsung hero, as often the case,
To battle the flames, to beat the heat.
Surrender their soul to save another,
Their life on hold, and maker meet.

Commissioned to help, ignoring the fear,
Driven by will, often not by the pay,
Tradition, the mission, whatever the scene,
Respected by many to save the day.

One such a champion, chief to so many,
Role model to all, by the name of Stan.
From wartime blitz to highway hell,
He’d race to aid the nameless man.

Little protection in yesteryear,
Brass on the noggin, less on the chest.
Greater the risk, but no more the fear,
A timeless hero, a God-like quest.

© Gareth Hudson 2012

We wobbled around to his house and was ushered into the front room and admired the only other twp cards he’d received, one from his Mam and Dad, the other from his neighbour Oskar Daftski  who was sat in Mr Fishcake’s chair.  A big no no in the Fishcake household.

“Show them your presents Fishcake” said his Mam.

He was hoping for a sat nav for his push bike but ended up with a compass and a suitcase from his parents (they were living in hope he would eventually take the hint).  They loved him really though.

We were there when Fishcake’s Dad returned from the allotment. He strode up the garden path singing happy birthday, his beaming smile dropped when he saw Oskar in his chair. Oskar was oblivious to his bum trespassing on the ‘big master’s seat’.

“Ay up Lads and birthday boy” he sat on the settee scowling a little. He looked at Oscar and forced a smile.

“Oscar do you realise what you are sat on”

“Me bum Mr Fishcake” said Oskar

“No, the object your bum is on is an ancient family hairyloom  that belonged to Fishcake’s Great Granddad. Whoever sits on that antique lump of furniture for more than ten minutes will be possessed by Grandad George, their hair will fall out, they will sprout hair from their ears and nose and their teeth will go yellow”. (This pretty much described Fishcake’s bald headed Father) “I know you think it’s farfetched but look what happened to me”.

Oskar took a long look at Fishcake’s Dad and the penny dropped. He jumped out of the chair and kept touching the top of his head to make sure his hair was intact. Fishcake knew his Dad had made it up to claim the seat again, but nevertheless, he still skirted passed the chair in case Granddad George claimed him.

Fishcake’s  Mam came in with the birthday cake and he blew the candles out. Fishcake’s got a good healthy pair of lungs and one of the candles flew off completely unnoticed and winged its way to the big master’s chair where Fishcake’s dad was now relaxing in a better mood.

“Oskar me lad I was just jesting about the chair it’s not possessed at all you can stop patting your head now”.

“I think it is Mr Fishcake” said Oskar “your chair’s smoking look!!!”

Fishcake’s Dad then noticed the fog around his rump jumping up in panic he shouted “I think it’s one of them poulty guys. Get out, get out!!!”

Everyone ran towards the back door screaming “there’s a ghost, there’s a ghost”. We could see the flames through the back window. Fishcake’s Mam was trembling and we weren’t much better.

The fire brigade managed to put out the fire quickly, but the insurance claim for fire damage was knocked back because they didn’t believe the reason for the burnt, chair, carpet, trousers and underpants was the revenge of Grandad George’s ghost.

Extending the successful ‘Bang on a Beanie’ Awareness Campaign, this shall be a more focussed-group presentation.

Yesterday Isaac – our ten year old – leaned over the back seat of our car to look into the boot for something, and somehow managed to get his head stuck between the headrests. I thought at first he was joking and left him there for a bit as we played along with it, but after a while I realised he was serious! I tried to help him wiggle his head in all sorts of directions but in the end, I decided it really was stuck. Somehow his head had gone in, but wouldn’t come out. He looked like someone in the stocks – with head through a gap and hands either side pushing and pulling to be released. He wasn’t upset about it at all and actually thought it very amusing. And it was! We were all laughing, especially as he suggested we call the fire-brigade to release him. In the end it was quite simple – we just needed to collapse the seat to allow his head to be released. But it was one of those funny, memorable moments that made us all smile.

It’s good to smile. Good to laugh. Good to see the humour in things. That’s especially important when life is dull or – even more so – when it’s tough and you’re pain. I’m struggling to write this blog this morning as I’m in great pain with a bad back. It’s been twinging a little throughout the summer and I probably didn’t help it lifting boxes last week, but yesterday evening it ‘went’ as I lent over a table and now I can barely walk as it keeps locking up. We’re praying it’ll settle down (as it has in the past) and we know the Lord has the power to heal it in an instant but at the moment it’s a real struggle.

Lots of people live with pain. Physical pain. Emotional pain. Probably a lot more severe than my back pain, which I hope is only temporary. How do we cope in times like that? When in pain, I’m always consoled by the words of Scripture that remind me that the Lord is with me and gives ‘strength to the weary and power to the weak’ (Isaiah 40:29). And I also look around me at good things to celebrate – which is what God says in Philippians 4:4 we should do. So for instance I’m happy that our friends Luke and Hannah Smith had their second child yesterday – Aaron. And that yesterday Pippa Winterburn and Al Elmes got married. Wonderful!

If you’re struggling today, hard as it may be – look beyond your pain and look for something to celebrate. And of course look to the all-powerful God for healing and transformation of your situation. But if it’s not immediately relieved, hang in there. And, if you can, smile. Watch a funny film. Enjoy a great joke. Or chuckle with me, as I recall again Isaac with his head stuck between the car headrests!

This I think is a very stylised photo of my model. A good angle and nice coloured lighting. I do have a colour changing egg/night-light which I placed inside the building to get this shot. The shadow of light that is cast on the side wall is also very effective I think. It would be nice to try and capture some of this in the upcoming footage. I wouldn’t really want this building to burn down without any internal light source. I should say once this model is finished, I need to think of a way of making the walls more sturdy, I shall certainly pack the internal cavities with something that burns slowly, that hopefully won’t immediately blow out all of the walls. A nice slow burn is what I’d like to get, I have been thinking about coating the outside of the building with PVA, However this will obviously dry clear but will also leave the walls with the appearance of being shiny. “Clear” is good, “Shiny” walls are not good. I do think this would add rigidity to the walls, when burning. (…….Uhhmmmm….. man scratches head for……eternity………!)

It’s a shame to think that some poor soul is suffering for our entertainment. But I honestly don’t know one person alive who doesn’t automatically look when they hear a siren in the distance! Of course fire engines are my favourite, (for obvious reasons.)

M & M have yet to spot the difference between an ambulance and a police car. But they definitely know a fire truck when they see one! Maybe it’s the female instinct in them? Or maybe its the fact that they are huge red things that can’t be mistaken, but we all get very excited when we see one!

I even had the local firemen round a few months ago to chat to me about fire safety. Neither one were overly handsome chaps, but both were very pleasant and helpful. They must think I’m some sort of freak with my phobia of fire, and I’m sure there were a few jokes thrown around the station later at my expense. Especially when they asked if I had thought of a planned escape route? To which I replied “yes of course. I’ll open the window and throw out what I can find to soften my landing before throwing myself out!”

Apparently that was completely the wrong answer, and is the last option to choose before the house burns to the ground. Personally I thought it was the most natural choice, and calmly walking down the stairs and opening the door wouldn’t have even entered my head!

That said, my most favourite idea is Mr (Hunky) fireman rescuing me from the inferno, when he will fall madly in love with my sooty face and my toxic coughing, and whisk me off into the horizon on his big red engine where we will live happily ever after…

A month or so back we had the fire brigade round for a home safety check. Basically they check out your house for fire safety and give you advice, in the hope that they can minimise any chance of having to return to your house under less desirable circumstances. It’s a free service that anyone can use, just check out your local station website for details on how to arrange one. Apart from the excellent safety advice, I can’t overstate the immense excitement from Betty over the firemen’s visit. She got to sit in the engine and talk the helmets of the firemen waiting outside with the rig.

Our house is brand spanking new and rented and as such is pretty safe in terms of windows, circuitry, smoke alarms and the like but one thing they did recommend is moving the toaster and kettle out from under the wall mounted cupboards where they were originally sat. They said that should either get stuck without us realising then the heat from them could ignite the cupboard above. This is actually quite relevant for us as our very cheap Asda kettle no longer switches itself off so we have to remember to not let it over boil. So finally I took the firemen’s advice and moved said items to a safer location. Much safer, and I advise you to do the same.

During my kitchen reorg I decided our notice board needed a bit of sprucing up. I had a bit of fabric I bought from eBay with the intention of making dining chair pads, but those can just be added to the long list of planned projects. Instead I used some of it to cover my pin board. I’m afraid I don’t have a before picture but it is just an Ikea cork notice board with a wooden frame. I was hoping I could pop the cord out of the frame and cover that and wedge it back in, but the frame wasn’t constructed in a way which made that possible. So I simply covered the whole thing in fabric.

To secure it I simply sewed the corners really tightly with very little skill as you can see below. No need for neatness, just longish stitches pulled tight in each corner, and that’s it.

Here it is with significantly less crap put back on it than it started with.

So there you have it as promised, a 10 minute project to spruce up your notice board, and some home safety advice thrown in for free!

MINI Countryman fire engine

Credits: Jonathan Stride

13 Aug, 2012 4:01pm Luke MaddenShare on printShare on emailShare on stumbleuponShare on twitterShare on facebook

An Auto Express reader has spotted a MINI Countryman fire engine at the Weymouth Olympic venue

The MINI range is more diverse than ever, but this official fire brigade�MINI Countryman�- spotted by Auto Express reader Jonathan Strideat the Weymouth Olympic sailing venue – is unusual.

The fire brigade have been loaned five Countryman models by MINI to use for minor incidents and busy events just like the Olympics. Each one can carry two firefighters, six fire extinguishers, torches, ropes and medical kit.

While it still looks like a standard Countryman, the reflective paintwork and flashing blue lights will ensure that people are quick to get out of the way.

The response to the MINI fire engine has reportedly been so positive that the fire brigade are keen to keep using the Countrymans long after the Olympics.

via MINI Countryman fire engine | Auto Express.

via MINI Countryman fire engine | Auto Express.

Part three of this tale of adventure and wanderings in the town of Weston-Super-Mare relates to a look at the adverse conditions, i.e. RAIN. Once the mandatory noticing of an empty beach was over we took to strolling along the front heading towards the Carter’s steam fair, but a storm interupted our journey so time to stop and shelter; an excuse for another cup of tea. For others it appears that if it is peeing down you go and stand by the toilets.

Horse and trolley man has had enough, he’s heading home. The rain did stop so we try again to make it to the fair.

Oh no, not again, time to run for cover.

Okay, so the steam fair turned into a stream fair; enough is enough, back to the bus. But on the way home it was time for the fire in the title of this post to show itself. We had maintained a good speed until everything came to a sudden stop; the cause was just in view ahead of us.

It wasn’t long before the firemen brave and bold took control of the blaze.

Then we were on our way again.

Not long though when we drove into  another storm.

This one was followed by a rainbow, aw isn’t that nice? What a pretty end to the day?