Fire Engines Photos

1 of 5 for each area forward control units attended 4 pump fires, rta, s, special services etc.

Added by Chris Bonnick on 15 October 2011.

There's a great video taken onboard of this FCU as it responds from Paddington fire station to an AFA at Charing Cross railway station. It's a great watch even if some of the driving (as skilful as it is), is a tad unnecessary - such as: going the wrong way around Trafalgar Square headfirst into the oncoming traffic for instance!

Just search for 'Paddington Forward Command Unit'.

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 22 October 2011.

those drivers were loonies, I should know I drove eastern commands one. we had to fill them up after every shout, the thirsty buggers.

Added by Chris Bonnick on 24 October 2011.

Manchester has initiated a procedure that AFAs are attended by a single pump, which is not allowed to use blue lights or sirens. As a result, RTAs involving appliances are down 30%, and only less than 1% of AFAs have been actual fires - none serious.

Added by Rob Johnson on 27 October 2011.

How many of those AFAs are within 5 minutes normal driving time though?!? It wouldn't work in county brigades, just the metropolitan areas where there is a higher concentration of stations within spitting distance of the majority of thier AFAs.

Added by Davey G on 28 October 2011.

Can I ask. Did theses every become the ROPE RESCUE UNIT'S towards the end of there service lives??

Added by DAVE TODD.. on 29 October 2011.

Certainly not as far as I'm aware Dave. In fact, it would seem safe to say that London has never had any dedicated rope rescue units - unless someone knows better of course.

Added by Ian Moore on 29 October 2011.

Thanks for the info.. I'm trying to think I seen the above units on other duties.. while London had them on the run..

Added by Dave Todd on 30 October 2011.

Londons Burning utilised one of these FCUs for a rope rescue job once. (Series 3 Episode 5) Registration A782 SUL.

Added by Davey G on 30 October 2011.

Davy - I agree the Manchester approach is a "big city" solution, but it makes a lot of sense, as around 25% of all their calls are non-fire AFAs. Some European brigades go even further, sending only a "minor alarm unit" (read medium-sized van) with two crew. When I lived in Kuwait, AFAs were also attended by two crew in a Chevrolet SUV, although those guys really liked to drive fast, and probably caused more problems than they solved.

Added by Rob Johnson on 31 October 2011.

The one that was used in London's Burning was the one I got from Blues & Twos back in the old days.. Which had the Reg number A700 EMX Which was also used as a traffic unit in only fools and horses as well as an ARMED RESPONSE UNIT IN ANOTHER action programme..

Added by DAVE TODD.. on 31 October 2011.

I have now seen this video. Not only is the driving ridiculously dangerous, but the driver and the passenger are actually arguing about the route, which the driver inists on - but which anyone who knows central London can tell you is certainly not the quickest. And all of this to get a senior officer to a false alarm! Whoever drove this vehicle on this occasion should have been reassigned to a pump, where he could have worked off his excess testosterone to set a world record for running the supply hoses from the hydrant. For the rest of his career.

Added by Rob Johnson on 07 January 2013.

Ian, the closest we currently have to dedicated rope rescue units is the FRUs at Paddington, Chelsea, Islington and Wimbledon as other than heavy cutting/entrapment, line rescue is the only other skillset on the FRU.

Added by Wilf Weston on 18 December 2022.

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