Name: Lewis Francis Orrow.
Age: 44 (as at 05/10/02).
Occupation: Sub O, Red Watch, Kingsland Fire Stn., London Fire Brigade.
Marital status: Separated from Karen (a Learning Support Assistant), we have 2 daughters, Katy (18) going to University and Amy (16) in the sixth form. A couple of cats are all that remain of our menagerie.
Computer abilities: I'm getting there!

I now spend all my time in London as I now live in Hainault E. London.

Karen and the girls live in the wild and windy Lincolnshire Wolds (that's the hilly bits, not the flat bits).

Some might even say that I'm a bit sad as I still enjoy my job, after over 20 years and, although it'll be nice to retire eventually, I can't say that I'm really desperate to go just yet. Still, at least another 6 years before I can seriously contemplate that.

Why did I join the Fire Brigade? If I was honest, I'd say that Karen talked me into it. She saw that I was getting bored with my previous job (in the print trade) and needed something a bit more challenging. A good friend of ours was a Fireman (they used to call us Firemen but we're now known as Firefighters) and, at the time, it was a good a choice as any. I also tried to join the London Ambulance Service but the Fire Brigade got in first and were (and still are), paid a bit more.

Like a good many people, I've experienced highs and lows, both professionally and personally.

Professionally, my highs tend to be every time we get the opportunity to do something really worthwhile. That doesn't necessarily mean rushing into burning buildings and saving the occupants, although, it would certainly be up there. Thankfully, such happenings are quite rare. Sometimes it's the little things you do that make a big difference to people.

My low would definitely be September 11 2001. I was on days that day and, as a Watch, we sat horrified yet unable to look away, as it all unfolded in front of us on the News Channels. Please spare a moment now, and say a prayer or just think about all those lost in those dreadful acts. Particularly for the families of the Emergency Services Personnel, who went to help in the almost certain knowledge that they were risking their own lives.

Personally, my children represent both the highs and lows. The highs were when they were born. Simple but true. The low would be when I received a 'phone call at work, to say that my eldest, Katy, had been injured and was on her way to hospital. She had been out all day, on the first day of the Summer Holidays with some friends and they were playing in their garden, when she was struck in the eye with a golf ball. A pure accident. No-one was to blame, particularly the boy who actually hit the ball and remains both friend and neighbour to this day, it was just 'one of those things'. A stay in hospital, an operation some months later and it was confirmed that she would never regain any useful sight in her right eye.

Katy has always dealt with it a lot better than we (or, certainly I) did. She has got on with her education, gaining pleasing results from her GCSEs' and enabling her to continue her pursuit of further education (at the moment, she wants to be a Teacher but we'll wait and see).

IN AN EMERGENCY, DIAL 999 (112 EUROPE/911 US)

Many moons ago (more than I care to remember) the father of a guy that I used to go to school with, used to try and get me to join the Fire Brigade. He was a Training Officer, at the time and he thought that I'd enjoy the job. Particularly, the Fire Brigade Band (we had one then and I'm a bit musically inclined).
I wasn't at all keen (I was only about 12 then) and dismissed it out of hand.

Oh how things change. 12 years (or so) later, August 22nd 1983 and I'm walking through the gates at the London Fire Brigades' Southwark Training Centre for the first time.

Around 3 months later I finish my training there and am posted to my first Station. Paddington, on the Red Watch. Aside from having little notion of where Paddington was and no idea of its celebrity status (or infamy, for more info., read 'Red Watch' by Gordon Honeycombe)I was underwhelmed, to say the least.

Living, as I was then, in Leyton, E. London, I wasn't looking forward to travelling across London to go to work. Still, beggars musn't be choosy.

I completed my probation there and was fairly well settled, when each Watch had to 'lose' 5 personnel. The Station was losing its' HP(Hydraulic Platform) and as a consequence, each Watch would be reduced. My name came out of the hat and I packed my bags and left for Green Watch West Hampstead, only to be told, when I reported for duty, that I had been moved on to the Red Watch. I was a little miffed at the lack of communication, but, as it meant a few more days off, I wasn't going to argue.

West Hampstead Red Watch. I still miss the old Watch there (all gone now). A great bunch to work with and an interesting ground to work in. Everything from the poorest of the poor, to the richest of the rich (quite literally, you should see some of the properties at both ends of the scale).

Here I became a Motor Driver (you never forget driving to your first shout, Dollis Hill Lane on Willesdens' ground)and actually managed to pass my Leading Firefighters exam (both parts!!!).
Then, to my great surprise, I was promoted (someone had a sense of humour) and posted on to the Blue Watch at West Hampstead. A bit of a baptism of fire (pardon the pun), but a great learning experience.

Some temporary promotion to Sub Officer both at West Hampstead and at Barnet, eventually culminating in my passing both parts of my Sub O's exam (no-one was more surprised than me) and another stint of 'temp' at Barnet.

Some 3 months later, I was put on the 'Watch Commanders Programme' and told to report to Green Watch Whitechapel. So, I started on the Red Watch at Kingsland instead. Some of you may notice a pattern forming here. The unkind ones will point out that its' deliberately designed to get rid of me. I can cope, I've got broad shoulders.

I've now finished that programme and am substantive at Kingsland on the Red Watch and am privileged to be working with a very professional group of Firefighters. They may horse around at times but, when push comes to shove, they do their job well and leave me very little to worry about.

At present, I've got another spell of 'temp', only this time its' Temporary Station Officer. Now I'm in the big time! Although it does mean that the buck stops here.
Nearly 20 years done, 10-ish left to go. I wonder what's around the corner?