On Saturday, 12 June 2010, Baschurch Fire Station personnel held a Community Open Day and invited the public, retired station personnel and former Brigade officers living locally to join them at this event, to also celebrate 25 years since the new station was built and opened.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer John Redmond and the Chair of the Fire Authority, Stuart West, both addressed the assembled visitors, with the Chair cutting the ribbon to mark the occasion.
This was followed by a simulated road traffic collision involving two saloon cars, with one casualty trapped. The Baschurch appliance and crew were soon on the scene and gave a demonstration of equipment and procedures used in the extrication of trapped casualties from road vehicles.
The following equipment and displays were located either inside or outside of the station:
- Brigade Outreach Vehicle (Katie Kelly)
- Business Fire Safety Display & Advice (John Russon)
- Display of Baschurch station photographs (Pete Morgan)
- Display of former station personnel certificates and artefacts
- Display of Fire Service helmets, from all parts of the UK (Keith Robinson)
- Display of Shropshire Fire Service photographs over the years (Keith Robinson)
- Fire Service DVDs and videos (Mark Smith, Ashley Brown, Andy Bevon)
- Dennis Pump Escape – ex London Fire Brigade (Ron Bradley, Ian Johnson)
- Aerial Ladder Platform (Telford Central personnel)
- Light Pumping Unit (Shrewsbury Retained personnel)
- High Volume Pumping Unit (Prees personnel)
The following retired and serving Brigade officers also visited us during the event:
- Alan Taylor (ex CFO)
- Paul Ridgley (ex DO)
- Phil Brooks (ex DO)
- Group Manager John Harrison
- Group Manager Dave Dickens
- District Support Officer Carl Franks
Thanks to Baschurch station personnel for all their efforts and enthusiasm, both before and during the event.
A special thank you to Crew Manager Kevin Phillips' wife and mother-in-law (whose husband was also a former Baschurch firefighter) for serving tea, coffee, etc throughout the event and looking after the buffet, which was provided by the Brigade.
