On bonfire night I have a lot more to think about than which display I’m going to see.
As a crew manager at Birchwood fire station in Cheshire, I approach one of the biggest nights in the fire service calendar with a sense of excitement and anxiety. By anxiety, I don’t mean fear. Adrenaline is what I experience most at this time.
This is a busy time for us, from putting out bonfires and patrolling local areas to being called out to small nuisance fires. As we move closer to 5 November our workload doubles and not just because of the increase in incidents.
There is also tons of planning to do. I find myself ticking off a mental checklist. Have new firefighters received the right training in order to prepare them for what’s ahead? Where are we most likely to be called to? Is most of our prevention work done? We need to make sure that the crew is ready for everything they could potentially face.
Bonfires, by nature, are very unpredictable. Before we start our shift, I always brief crews on what to expect and advise them to approach a bonfire with extreme caution. There’s no way of knowing what’s being burnt. They could be heading towards gas canisters or unexploded fireworks without knowing it.
One year, we were about to extinguish a bonfire when someone threw a firework at it. I ducked out of the way and just missed the firework - which hit the fire engine in the place I’d just been standing. Worried for the safety of my crew, I was forced to withdraw them from the scene. People don’t always understand the great personal risk that firefighters put themselves in.
Obviously we still want people to have a good time during the period but when people take things too far we can get problems. Going to an incident in a small area, like a cul de sac, can be particularly challenging. If we’ve been called to put a bonfire out because it’s out of control we can be met with a lot of animosity from people still enjoying the party. On the other hand, there will be those with young children or dogs, or elderly residents who are getting frightened, keen for us to extinguish the blaze quickly.
Our main goal is to keep everyone safe. Luckily I have a great crew behind me who understand our mission and who are great at engaging with people in challenging situations.
I admit that at the start of my career bonfire night worried me a little, as I wasn’t sure what to expect. But, after being with the service for six and a half years, I now approach this period raring to go.
I absolutely love my job and I’m ready to serve and protect the community once again this year. However, my crew and I cannot always do this alone so I’d ask that if you see a crew of firefighters out tackling a fire or incident please try and be respectful. Our job is to keep you and your local community safe. It would be great to have your support.
Sam Rogers is crew manager at Birchwood fire station.
This series aims to give a voice to the staff behind the public services that are hit by mounting cuts and rising demand, and so often denigrated by the press, politicians and public. If you would like to write an article for the series, contact kirstie.brewer@theguardian.com
Talk to us on Twitter via @Guardianpublic and sign up for your free weekly Guardian Public Leaders newsletter with news and analysis sent direct to you every Thursday.
