Visit to Barrow's Firestation

Last night PE Colin lead us on a visit to Barrow's Firestation, we were met by the watch commander, Mike who gave us some refresher training in CPR etc and concluded with a demonstartion of a Defibrillator, which none of us had expreienced before, well worth it just for that !

After our refresher training we were shown around the Fire Station, saw the gym where they all keep upto scratch with their fitness, something they definitely need to do when you see the sort of kit they have to handle.

We were shown a water lance, which is used with very high pressure water laced with an abrasive compund which will cut through anything, Imagine a fire in a building with great thick walls, where the fire had got to a stage NO ONE could safely enter to fight it. With this kit they simply drill a hole through the wall, when completed (in moments) the jet changes to simply very high pressure water which fills the room with a wet fog and as if by magic the fire is stopped.

All of the operatives on a fire engine have their own BA equipment, it is sited in the back of the seat they use when in transit, it is also linked via radio to a control panel in the cab which keeps an eye on their air supply etc and can alert the operative when air is getting low, very high tech stuff, but it weighs a ton and that is after the air bottles changed from steel to carbon fibre !!

An excellent trip, unfortunately poorly attended by club members ! Colin expressed out thanks to Mike and some of us finished at the Furness Railway for "Chicken Night" - £7.50 for a meal and a drink !