To Old Harlow this evening to visit Harlow retained firefighters. It is not widely known than many of our firemen are semi-volunteers, live and work just five minutes from a fire station and have to be available twenty four hours a day - seven days a week. Despite the impact on their family lives and working sometimes on Christmas day, every retained firefighter I met was dedicated to their work - with a passion that is second to none.
Some had served the Old Harlow Fire Station (first opened in 1870) for close to thirty years, others between four and ten years. This is all the more remarkable, given that retained firefighters have full-time jobs as well.
It felt good to be in Old Harlow Fire Station. The building reeks of history. Old photographs from many years past have been placed on display, alongside some ancient helmets. What I hadn't realised was that the Station exists thanks in part to the Marigold Trust which is the Landlord of the building and charges just a peppercorn rent. An example of how these retained firefighters are very much part of the big society.
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