Today we attended GMFRS Broughton Community Fire Station Open Day in Salford, and with clear sunny and very warm weather, huge crowds flocked to this event from the local community.

Seven Team Call Out list members were present, consisting of our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, Deputy Team Leader Chris Greenhalgh, Equipment Officer IT and Communications Steve Fletcher, Trainee Mountain Rescue Air Scenting Dog Handler Jess Ellsmore and her Trainee Dog Blitz, Michael Wakerley, Naomi Horan and Phil Horner.

We had on display our Incident Control Vehicle, call sign Bolton Mobile 6, and one of our four Land Rover Mountain Rescue Ambulance vehicles, call sign Bolton Mobile 2.

Our Deputy Team Leader Chris Greenhalgh is based as a GMFRS Firefighter at Broughton Community Fire Station, and it was via this link that we were invited to attend today.

A large number of GMFRS vehicle and equipment displays were present for interested visitors to see, including two Pump Appliances, a Hydraulic Platform (Simon Snorkel) from GMFRS Stretford Fire Station, the Water Incident Unit and Boat from Eccles Fire Station, an Operational Support Unit Appliance and the GMFRS Community Vehicle (With public and fire safety displays)

GMFRS also had their popular ‘Childrens Disco and Foam / Bubbles Fire Engine’ present, which drew crowds of children throughout the day, and their equally popular Children’s Fire Engine.

Our GMFRS friend Mick Dewar was present with his USAR and Fire Investigation Dogs, as were GMFRS Volunteers crewing a ‘try on a fire fighters equipment display’ for children and adults alike.

Trainee Search Dog Blitz impresses the crowds by operating our somewhat complex I.T. mapping systems!

Taking place throughout the day were RTC Extrication displays by GMFRS crews.

The British Red Cross had their brand new F.E.S.S. (Fire Emergency Support Service) vehicle on show, alongside food stalls, childrens rides and an inflatable slide.

Our display attracted considerable interest, with many questions asked (We hoped we answered them all) of our members present about the work we undertake in the local community.

Thanks to the kindness of visitors to our display, we received donations totalling £34.51p

By 17.00hrs the Open Day was over, and was deemed a total success, with a great many visitors now more aware than ever of the work of both GMFRS, Bolton MRT, and the Red Cross FESS.