We regularly attend GMFRS Community Fire Station Open Days throughout the year, with today seeing us attend our first such event for 2014 at GMFRS Agecroft Community Fire Station.
Organised by GMFRS Agecroft Watch Commander Angus Robinson, todays Open Day had all the usual items on display to make for an interesting visit.
Our members attending met to depart our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ at 10.25hrs in order to be on site for the 11.00hrs opening time for the Open Day.
Heavy rain showers and a generally cold day kept visitor numbers relatively low, but did not diminish the interest shown by the many visitors to Agecroft.
GMFRS had on display Pump Appliances, an ALP (Aerial Ladder Platform) Enhanced Rescue Appliance, Incident Command Vehicle, Fire Scene Investigation Unit, and a Technical Rescue Unit appliance.
The Salvation Army had their Catering Unit present, providing public catering and also illustrating how they provide operational catering for GMFRS at Fire and Rescue incidents.
Demonstrations were mounted by the GMFRS Fire Cadets, and the TRU (Technical Rescue Unit) from Red Watch, GMFRS Leigh Community Fire Station, who carried out a rescue from height exercise from the Fire Tower, followed by an RTC driver extrication demonstration.
The Greater Manchester Fire Museum was present and had one of their vehicles on display, a Dennis Metz Turntable Ladder Appliance from 1957, which went out of operational service in 1976.
Various stalls made up the Open Day.
We had on display two of our Land Rover Defender 110 Mountain Rescue Ambulance vehicles, radio call signs Bolton Mobile 3 and 4.
Team members present were our Life Vice President Alan James, Martin Battersby, Stephen Kenworthy, Phil Horner, Michael Wakerley and Doctor Mark Jeffrey.
They were joined mid afternoon by our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE and Team Support Group member Iain Clarkson.
Thanks to the kindness of the many visitors who visited our vehicle and kit display, we collected £16.98p in donations.
The next currently scheduled GMFRS Community Fire Station Open Day we are attending, is at GMFRS Horwich Community Fire Station on Saturday 14th June 2014.
