I think some of them did find it strange having a woman on the watch,” she said. “Some of them didn’t bat an eye lid, but I think maybe a few of them perhaps thought I wasn’t going to last very long.” Uniform Speaking at a time when just nine per cent of London Fire Brigade’s operational staff are women, Sue spoke of “the extra pressure” of being the first woman to do the role and why firefighting “is not just a job for a man.” I was last here in December 1940, he said. I was in this very street and none of these buildings were here then. The old office buildings that once stood here in Aldersgate ran up both sides of the street. They were burning out of control, from the ground to the top floors. Most were six floors high and flames were coming from every opening. It was so hot we could not even walk up the middle of the road. It was an unforgettable night and some of my mates never saw the dawn, killed whilst fighting these fires. I told myself I never wanted to come here again and have to remember that horrific night.” Our#firefightingsexism campaign challenged the outdated stereotype that only men can be firefighters.

Kerrine commented: “We want children to understand that the world is their oyster, and that they can be anything they want to be if they are passionate, determined and hardworking enough. Gender shouldn’t be a barrier to pursuing a dream. Dreams need to be nurtured There wasn't really a description of the places he has been - I think everything I could imagine was because I've seen some of the pictures of the events on TV. The author seems like a genuinely lovely guy and has been through such a lot in his life. I wanted to give him a hug quite a lot of the time. I was totally outraged by his terrible treatment when off-duty by the police and this just goes to show how far we still have to go in dealing with institutional racism. It’s a testament of great patience and strength of character that he did not hold grudges. Perhaps coming across as a bit too good at times - I lost count of the number of times I read “I understand why people would do _____, but I have and would never do it myself”. It sometimes came across as a little bit insincere.

Television

There are no easy solutions, it is not about men versus women, or even blaming the media for creating a ‘macho’ firefighter stereotype. With dwindling resources, the job of a firefighter is arguably more difficult than ever. It is no wonder that many aspiring firefighters, both men and women, have been put off joining after watching the London Fire Brigade’s Station Officer Michael Dowden giving evidence at the Grenfell Inquiry and having to explain his actions, minute by minute, that night in what can only be described as the most hellish of circumstances. I could be argued that it is not a ‘macho’ firefighter image that puts women off wanting to pursue a fire service career; one in which they are expected to risk their life but having to defend decisions made in the most desperate of circumstances in the court of public opinion. Why would you want that? How have I found my time with Austin Macauley? Well, in a word… interesting. For those that research Austin Macauley Publisher (AM) you might find the phase ‘vanity publishers’ applied to it. It’s a word used to describe something that is done with the aim of getting praise, fame or approval at a price. However, it, and AM’s values, could not be farther from the truth. AM is there to support and guide you from your submission to publication.

Aynway, I wished for more stories of his life as a firefighter - I mean, certainly there have been many other interesting jobs he had to do during his watches but he doesn't tell us! There is a vast gulf between the numbers of men and women in the UK’s fire service. Even in London, which leads the UK in the total number of women in an operational role, they only represent 7% of its workforce as firefighters! So, with ever dwindling resources the job of a firefighter is arguably more difficult than ever. It remains a role that has always been fraught with physical danger and mental trauma. Sadly, as the Grenfell fire inquiry has demonstrated, it now includes being in the firing line of everyone from politicians to lawyers and the public. If it is something you’re interested in and you think you would be good at it, then go for it.” Modern Day FirefightingAs Dave opened the nozzle we were engulfed in steam as the water cooled the superheated atmosphere above us. I buried my head a little lower and held on for dear life as Dave worked the jet around the large hallway, extinguishing the burning contents. Just from hearing the initial messages, I wanted to get on the road and get there as soon as possible. I live in Kent, a fair old way away. I took the details, got a postcode, got in my car and drove on a blue light (which allowed her to drive at speed to the fire). As she marks 40 years since she began her training, London’s first female firefighter Sue Batten has shared her memories of her career for the first time and called for more women to think about a job as a firefighter. David continually supports the fire service industry today, with I Was a London Firefighter supporting the Massey Trust, and all proceeds from London’s Firefighters going to the Fire Service Charity, Firemen Remembered. Sue later moved to Old Kent Road Fire Station, where she was based for eight years. Similar to a modern day firefighter, she attended a multitude of incidents across London, from fires to people shut In lifts and road traffic accidents. She attended the Bishopsgate bombing in 1993, where she was based in the control unit. in 1993 she moved to Avon Fire and Rescue Service, where she served for 14 years before she retired.

From fire prevention work within the community, to specialist rescue skills and working on our fire investigations team. It’s a varied and flexible career path for someone who doesn’t want a desk-based job. Fireman Dave and I crept up the stairs, the floor had burned through in places as had the floor above, the roof was gone so there was a bit of dull light. The floor was covered in rubble; tiles from the roof, burnt timber, cork and all sorts. Dave took the nozzle and we pushed forward along the floor. The smoke was tolerable, the heat was a different matter. As I breathed in it was searing my lungs, a bit like trying to breathe in over a boiling kettle, I was lying on the floor in a puddle of steaming water trying to find some cooler air. Is it like that now? “It’s not,” she says. But her seniority will afford some protection and I wonder how the experience differs for 18-year-old women joining the fire service today. “I am really confident that they wouldn’t have that same experience – because we’ve done so much work,” she says. “We know what the world is like and we are doing our best not just to change the fire service but society.”Register your interest. After you’ve registered, they’ll be in touch with helpful info about the recruitment process and likely recruiting dates. Be patient-you will be glad you were.

There was another crucial distinction. “This was a developing incident. The Clapham train crash had happened and we were dealing with an aftermath. Grenfell Tower was an ongoing and worsening situation.”

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The Brigade now employs 425 women in operational roles at various ranks– out of a total of 4, 545 operational staff.