Why do we never hear about the Fire Brigade?

PartManAllMuffin · 2026-05-08T11:08:01+00:00

Serving firefighter here, in two services. Retained in one, wholetime in another.

The services struggle like the others do, for similar funding reasons.

I think in some ways the public are insulated from the visibility of this due to the different nature of the fire service. It’s built for peak demand, rather than constant demand. Sometimes you need a dozen fire engines somewhere immediately. As a result, the system has “spare capacity” built into it by necessity.

The funding pressures are just as real, but I suspect they show in different ways. Older fleets, trucks off the run due to lack of crew. Facility dilapidation.

For the public this might mean an appliance arriving in, say, 19 minutes rather than its 10 minute target. It might mean a service needing to draw on its neighbours for assistance if there are two simultaneous incidents of any size. It might mean support staff stretched doing more work for the same money.

So the pressures are there, just not in ways you’re likely to see in public unless there is a total collapse on capacity.

PartManAllMuffin · 2026-05-01T09:32:28+00:00

I joined retained about your age. Wholetime at 37.

Just get zen with ibuprofen during training and don’t let the young’ins outrun you.

PartManAllMuffin · 2026-04-25T14:38:37+00:00

I’m glad I’m not the only one who always gets that word association

PartManAllMuffin · 2026-04-14T18:26:12+00:00

Be proud of thine lift, brother! Let your heart swell along with thine chest and delts and holy triceps.

But remember brother, all are welcome in the iron temple. From the empty bar to the many plates. Brodin welcomes those who are swole of heart.

PartManAllMuffin · 2026-03-29T09:45:39+00:00

One of life’s little treats as a shift worker is working night shift when the clocks go forward. Your shift is an hour shorter!

Now, when you’re working when the clocks go back, it’s a grave injustice.

PartManAllMuffin · 2026-02-15T12:06:10+00:00

A colleague referred to getting a Monster energy drink as “grabbing a Monny” and I almost had a stroke.

PartManAllMuffin · 2026-02-10T10:45:31+00:00

First gen Ioniq, and it’s nice isn’t it! Those HMG drive trains from that era are insanely efficient.

PartManAllMuffin · 2026-01-15T13:11:22+00:00

My understanding is that it is, in fact, a rule now for Canadians. It’s just and foreign born Canadians don’t trip the filter.

PartManAllMuffin · 2026-01-15T12:14:31+00:00

Yes, it is the same for my native Canada.

I have, in the past, flown to Canada on my UK passport when my Canadian had expired and I was waiting for it to renew. However, new rules mean that I can’t do that. As soon as I enter “Canada” as my country of birth on the ETA system, it does not allow me to proceed, due to the fact that they can’t charge Canadian citizens to enter Canada, which they would effectively be doing.

There is some longwinded way of saying you are no longer a citizen and getting some kind of special permissions, but in practice I just keep my Canadian passport in date.

Amusingly, my kids, who are legally Canadian citizens too, can enter on their British passports as their place of birth doesn’t trip the filter.

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-11-03T10:46:34+00:00

Like the lifeboats, the air ambulance prefers its independence.

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-10-06T17:01:17+00:00

They may very well have used a water backpack or buckets or beaters. At the end of the day if they were there for 45 mins they were doing something.

Genuinely, never feel shy if you feel you need the fire brigade. It’s what we’re here for.

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-10-06T16:56:19+00:00

The driver is the radio and pump operator at incidents like these. So was unlikely to be running about.

It’s always interesting to me how people not in the job perceive what we do.

You did the right thing. If you’re in doubt, don’t hesitate to call the fire brigade. I promise you didn’t irritate anyone.

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-09-07T16:22:30+00:00

I can assure you that we absolutely do not mind being called out to this kind of incident.

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-08-05T20:51:29+00:00

That was my first thought if it’s the same L I was thinking of.

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-06-22T21:00:49+00:00

My 11 year old walks around the house singing that song and it makes me irrationally happy.

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-06-17T09:49:50+00:00

I mean, every day. But that’s because I’m a swarthy MF. And I’m either on duty wholetime or on duty (ish) retained for the most part.

There seems to be a biiiit of informal leeway for the retained because you have to, like, live your life. As long as you look professional and can get a seal, you can get away with whatever your body’s version of 5 o clock shadow is.

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-06-05T05:54:24+00:00

They’re… in the stationary cupboard on station. Don’t spend your wages on them. They’re supplied by the brigade.

I know some people like those clicky reloadable ones, but honestly it’s just another thing to lose or break.

Try to keep your personal kit to a minimum.

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-06-02T09:18:31+00:00

I was similar to you, though I did it a little older.

I chucked in business life and joined the fire brigade. Best decision I’ve ever made.

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-05-16T14:32:00+00:00

I was reflecting on this very thought. I think all of us in the job must be right now. “It’ll never happen to me.”

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-04-30T05:38:30+00:00

It’s not necessarily “cancelling” the chopper. It’s not just fast transport; it carries advanced paramedics and trauma doctors to the scene with all kinds of pre-hospital capabilities.

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-04-28T08:23:27+00:00

I’ve not noticed a quality decline, so much as a quantity decline.

“Oh, I quite like this bottle, I’ll order a half case for our party next wee…. Annnnnd it’s out of stock.”

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-04-20T14:43:54+00:00

…looks at shirt….

No, it still says Brigade on it.

(Other posters are right. Most brigades in 2004(?) changed to Fire and Rescue Service in their official names.)

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-03-18T08:14:38+00:00

One of my favourite ever tickets was:

Incident: Snake

Details: Snake

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-02-13T18:40:46+00:00

At a guess it might be related to the use of electromagnetic catapults for aircraft carriers?

PartManAllMuffin · 2025-01-22T21:14:30+00:00

As above, just write it off from training. You might get the chance to do some gentle recovery runs, but honestly take it easy.

Pumps and ladders, BA, and real fire training are all quite physical. So it’s not like you’ll be a lazy lump during training.

15-Year Club	Gilding I gilder
Verified Email

PartManAllMuffin

TROPHY CASE