I remember it sometimes being very odd for me because I would be in the yard doing a training exercise and I would happen to look around briefly and there would be all these other firefighters – who had come to do training on other things – who had come out to the yard to watch. They were watching me because I was woman. She then completed a full application form, using all of her details, and after a few months she was invited for an interview. Assessment and training As Dave opened the nozzle we were engulfed in steam as the water cooled the superheated atmosphere above us. I buried my head a little lower and held on for dear life as Dave worked the jet around the large hallway, extinguishing the burning contents. Aynway, I wished for more stories of his life as a firefighter - I mean, certainly there have been many other interesting jobs he had to do during his watches but he doesn't tell us! We begin with one of the worst tragedies in recent years in the UK, Grenfell, the tower that light up London with fire. Edric wasn’t one of the first firefighters there and doesn’t claim to have been but he tells us of his experiences, the heart-breaking task he was asked to perform, a search for victims of the fire.

Today, we all move at such a rapid place that history can get forgotten as people are constantly looking forward to the next must have this or that. This is true of many public service organisations and the London Fire Brigade is no different. I Was a London Firefighter contains a host of factual narratives and fictional tales based loosely around personal experiences from individuals from the London Fire Brigade, ranging from the mid-19th century to present day. The book focuses on key historical events such as the IRA’s 20-year bombing campaign in London, the King’s Cross fire of 1987 and a compelling description on the 2017 Grenfell Tower Fire. There are no easy solutions, it is not about men versus women, or even blaming the media for creating a ‘macho’ firefighter stereotype. With dwindling resources, the job of a firefighter is arguably more difficult than ever. It is no wonder that many aspiring firefighters, both men and women, have been put off joining after watching the London Fire Brigade’s Station Officer Michael Dowden giving evidence at the Grenfell Inquiry and having to explain his actions, minute by minute, that night in what can only be described as the most hellish of circumstances. I could be argued that it is not a ‘macho’ firefighter image that puts women off wanting to pursue a fire service career; one in which they are expected to risk their life but having to defend decisions made in the most desperate of circumstances in the court of public opinion. Why would you want that? The decision almost certainly averted an even greater loss of life. “There was a massive risk to my firefighters, but you balance that against the fact that you join London fire brigade to save people’s lives. We wanted to save as many people as we could. That was the bottom line.” Edric is a former London Firefighter serving in a number of different stations over thirteen years. In his book ‘Into The Fire’ we read about some of the tragedies that Edric has attended over the years and with some slightly light-hearted tales.

Writing and Media

Our#firefightingsexism campaign challenged the outdated stereotype that only men can be firefighters.

We must point out that David’s books can always be found on Austin Macauley desks with a cup of tea throughout the office – Our own staff are truly excited for this interview and we hope it’s an interesting read for you as well. The book ends a year after Grenfell when Kennedy-Macfoy decided to quit his career as a firefighter. I was last here in December 1940, he said. I was in this very street and none of these buildings were here then. The old office buildings that once stood here in Aldersgate ran up both sides of the street. They were burning out of control, from the ground to the top floors. Most were six floors high and flames were coming from every opening. It was so hot we could not even walk up the middle of the road. It was an unforgettable night and some of my mates never saw the dawn, killed whilst fighting these fires. I told myself I never wanted to come here again and have to remember that horrific night.”That’s very difficult for me. I’m in charge of London fire brigade, and I was committing firefighters into something that was very unknown and very dangerous.

David adds a more personal approach with sections throughout the book providing emotional insight to the bravery and commitment of our firefighters and in this interview, speaks more in depth about his experiences, career choice and thoughts on current situations the fire services face today, such as the role of women within the fire service. Stephen Dudeney (born July 1968) is a retired British firefighter. He was a senior officer in the London Fire Brigade. Early life Daylight brought a new appreciation of the unfolding tragedy. “It became increasingly difficult just looking at the building and still knowing there were people in there. The pressure we all felt to keep trying and doing our best was immense. There was another crucial distinction. “This was a developing incident. The Clapham train crash had happened and we were dealing with an aftermath. Grenfell Tower was an ongoing and worsening situation.” The facts are that the Grenfell Tower fire was all but extinguished when he arrived and the scene was relatively safe when he made his first entry.She carried out 21 weeks of training – seven weeks longer than the rest of her cohort – before her “pass out” ceremony on September 29 1982 – her 30 th birthday. Forty years on and the Brigade is a very different place – recruitment, training and uniform are identical for men and women; our fire stations have separate facilities for women and the Brigade also has a women’s support network as part of a range of equality support groups in place. I think some of them did find it strange having a woman on the watch,” she said. “Some of them didn’t bat an eye lid, but I think maybe a few of them perhaps thought I wasn’t going to last very long.” Uniform David joined the Fire Brigade as a cadet at just sixteen. Awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct as a young fireman, David steadily rose through the ranks of the London Fire Brigade, until he retired from senior rank in 1996. Now, David writes and reflects on his career and experiences, with I Was a London Firefighter being the latest of his work.