Open day fun at fire station

Children were keen as ever to explore the inside of the appliance waiting for them at Bexhill fire station on Saturday - one of the traditional perks of the summer open day.

Watching her five year old son Kieran try on a huge yellow helmet, Charmaine James said: "He is loving this. We heard about the open day a few weeks ago so it was a planned trip and he was looking forward to it."

Nearby was retained fire officer Andy Evans who commented: "It has been brilliant...You get the younger kids come along and have a look and we get the chance to talk to the parents too about home safety - it has been good. Everyone is happy - the kids love it, they love looking at the equipment."

Visitors of all ages met the challenge of abseiling down the drill tower wall - from the fourth floor to the ground which was a daunting 18 metres drop.

Open day organiser Andy Upton said: "Fortunately the weather has held up for us, and a lot of people have done the abseil - including my seven year old daughter Chloe. She did say afterwards it was a bit scary...but we have everyone from a seven year old right through to adults coming down."

By way of welcome an aerial ladder platform was parked outside the fire station in Beeching Road, the platform itself a staggering 32 metres high, or approximately 100 ft, and stretching up towards the cloudy sky.

Other attractions included a St Michael's Hospice stall, information on reducing crime and disorder from Safer Rother Partnership, home safety advice from East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service which gave away free smoke alarms, football coaching with a fire safety message from James Wisby, Polegate miniature railway, and a demonstration by Crowborough Animal Rescue Unit. Also represented was Rother Children's Centres with art and craft for youngsters and face-painting by Karen Martin.

Andy commented: "It has been very successful...It gives the community the chance to come into the station and see all the equipment we have got, and it gives the fire station the chance to promote fire safety messages and all the message that our partnerships have, such as the Fire and Burns Trust. It's about covering what the fire service call the Fatal Four - people not wearing seat belts, people using mobile phones, driving too fast, and drink and drugs. It has taken a lot of organisation, and we have all worked on it together - people from our opposite watch have come in and a couple of retained people are help us as well...if they didn't we would not be able to have so many things going on here. It's coordination."