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Fire Engine Photos
Dagenham fire station London Mk3, Mk2 and SS220HP
24th February 2018. Dagenham is one of the new PFI stations in London. There is a window in the community room upstairs that allows you to look down. Compare with picture 23128.
24th February 2018. Dagenham is one of the new PFI stations in London. There is a window in the community room upstairs that allows you to look down. Compare with picture 23128.
It means Private Finance Initiative. Hope this helps.
Added by Grant Melville on 01 March 2018.
Added by Grant Melville on 01 March 2018.
Comment removed at request of Commentor
Thanks Andy.
Some similar schemes (scams?) are emerging here in the States, too!
Added by Rob Johnson on 01 March 2018.
Some similar schemes (scams?) are emerging here in the States, too!
Added by Rob Johnson on 01 March 2018.
in this case the private partner is Kier a construction company. They also do the ongoing maintenance and facilities management. These contracts are controversial in UK but have delivered a huge amount of new infrastructure. The argument is that it costs a great deal more than traditional govt borrowing. see www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42724939
Added by Petros on 01 March 2018.
Added by Petros on 01 March 2018.
PFI is nothing but a con, a complete and utter scam. Part of the deal was that new fire stations built under this scheme have to have, where ever possible, a ridiculous "community" element attached to them, i.e., be accessible to the public in the same way hospitals and schools already (sort of) were. This way they can claim the building actually "serves" the public, and is a real benefit to the local community on a much broader scale. Surely a fire station doesn't need to justify itself; its benefits to the community far outweigh any spacious airy "community" room - complete with flip-chart, tea- & coffee-making facilities, ample tableage, comfortable, funky-coloured chairs and numerous USB ports to boot. Available to book, just call this number... blah blah blah.
Ridiculous. Why on earth would any fire station manager worth his salt want any part of his station given over to weekly macrame lessons, geriatric yoga classes, or the AGM of The Disabled-Ethnic-Blind-and-visually-impaired-Dwarf-Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-and-Transgender-(and-those-not-quite-sure)-Outreach-Partnership? For any "group" for that matter! It's a fire station, for goodness sake!
Surely that's what community centres and village halls are for! The modern world sure is a ridiculous place....
Still, on the plus side, you can get nice interesting photos like this one!
Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 04 March 2018.
Ridiculous. Why on earth would any fire station manager worth his salt want any part of his station given over to weekly macrame lessons, geriatric yoga classes, or the AGM of The Disabled-Ethnic-Blind-and-visually-impaired-Dwarf-Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-and-Transgender-(and-those-not-quite-sure)-Outreach-Partnership? For any "group" for that matter! It's a fire station, for goodness sake!
Surely that's what community centres and village halls are for! The modern world sure is a ridiculous place....
Still, on the plus side, you can get nice interesting photos like this one!
Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 04 March 2018.
When I was a kid I always found the old 1904 Darlington CB fire station on Borough Road very open and welcoming, especially on Saturday mornings.
It didn't need any fancy financing or extra "community" designation for it to become my second home!
Added by Rob Johnson on 06 March 2018.
It didn't need any fancy financing or extra "community" designation for it to become my second home!
Added by Rob Johnson on 06 March 2018.
I agree, Rob; as a kid I gatecrashed many fire stations - in Staffordshire, Derby, Birmingham and even Plymouth. As I recall there was always an eager fireman willing to give me the VIP treatment. I spent the day at Lichfield once drawing Staffordshire's preserved vintage Leyland Hippo pump escape for their own Fire Brigade publication. And I even got to turn out with the Station officer in his wireless car on blue and twos -- firstly to a two-pump grass fire in Rugeley, seven miles away, and then a house fire, persons reported, in Burton-upon-Trent, fifteen miles away. A ten-year old kid on rapid response! What a buzz. It was the best day of my life....
My own local fire station almost became my second home. My friend and I were basically given free-run of the whole station. I can still smell the leather and the oil of the Bedford TK water tender and Ford D water tender ladder, and even the swarfega in the washrooms! We used to play in the fire engines. My mate would be "driving" the Ford as he preferred its big ladder, whilst I'd be "driving" the Bedford as I loved its complete aluminium stucco sides, its wooden ladder and those cool, folding crew-cab doors! We'd have the blue lights on, but strictly no two-tones though, because of the station being surrounded by houses. Damn those houses! We'd climb on top of the appliances, we'd be in the lockers, and we even used to get the kit out. And can you believe that once we even climbed the drill tower? Someone had left the securing hatch unlocked. So, us being superhero firemen, we climbed right to the top. And it was a dark, icy winter's night! But it was a top-secret mission; I think that would definitely have been out of bounds had the retained boys known what we were up to an hour after they'd finishing their training! But they were all in the bar by then... yes, the bar! The fire station had a bar, complete with subsidised booze! And lots and lots of lemonade. Oh how times have changed. But we had to climb the tower were we to rescue the old lady who was threatening to jump! Oh what imaginations, and what happy days!
But now if you want to visit our community fire station you have to be the organiser of a community-specific group, approved by the committee of course, or be an eager participant of said event. You can't just turn up on your bike out-of-the-blue like I used to do. Imagine some snotty-nosed kid doing that now: "Can I help you, young man? Where's your very-much-required accompanying parent or responsible guardian? Do you have an appointment? Or an approved time slot maybe? Have you filled in a the risk assessment? Have you familiarised yourself with the emergency exit locations? Do you have a hi-viz vest? Oh heaven forbid; you cant just leave that bike there! What if a firefighter trips over it? No no no.... Sorry but you've left me with no option; I'm gonna have to report this to the committee."
Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 11 April 2018.
My own local fire station almost became my second home. My friend and I were basically given free-run of the whole station. I can still smell the leather and the oil of the Bedford TK water tender and Ford D water tender ladder, and even the swarfega in the washrooms! We used to play in the fire engines. My mate would be "driving" the Ford as he preferred its big ladder, whilst I'd be "driving" the Bedford as I loved its complete aluminium stucco sides, its wooden ladder and those cool, folding crew-cab doors! We'd have the blue lights on, but strictly no two-tones though, because of the station being surrounded by houses. Damn those houses! We'd climb on top of the appliances, we'd be in the lockers, and we even used to get the kit out. And can you believe that once we even climbed the drill tower? Someone had left the securing hatch unlocked. So, us being superhero firemen, we climbed right to the top. And it was a dark, icy winter's night! But it was a top-secret mission; I think that would definitely have been out of bounds had the retained boys known what we were up to an hour after they'd finishing their training! But they were all in the bar by then... yes, the bar! The fire station had a bar, complete with subsidised booze! And lots and lots of lemonade. Oh how times have changed. But we had to climb the tower were we to rescue the old lady who was threatening to jump! Oh what imaginations, and what happy days!
But now if you want to visit our community fire station you have to be the organiser of a community-specific group, approved by the committee of course, or be an eager participant of said event. You can't just turn up on your bike out-of-the-blue like I used to do. Imagine some snotty-nosed kid doing that now: "Can I help you, young man? Where's your very-much-required accompanying parent or responsible guardian? Do you have an appointment? Or an approved time slot maybe? Have you filled in a the risk assessment? Have you familiarised yourself with the emergency exit locations? Do you have a hi-viz vest? Oh heaven forbid; you cant just leave that bike there! What if a firefighter trips over it? No no no.... Sorry but you've left me with no option; I'm gonna have to report this to the committee."
Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 11 April 2018.
Good times! Fortunately here in the States most fire stations are still just as welcoming, and after 9/11 most people still see their firefighters as heroes to be admired and respected.
In many countries young kids can join the youth fire service and although the kids do not of course fight fires they do have a lot of fun and get to build a bond with real life firefighters. To my mind this is an excellent idea and a great way to recruit interested young people when they are old enough to serve.
Added by Rob Johnson on 18 April 2018.
In many countries young kids can join the youth fire service and although the kids do not of course fight fires they do have a lot of fun and get to build a bond with real life firefighters. To my mind this is an excellent idea and a great way to recruit interested young people when they are old enough to serve.
Added by Rob Johnson on 18 April 2018.
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Added by Rob Johnson on 28 February 2018.