There isn’t a more heroic job than a firefighter, is there? In 2020, London Fire Brigade also rescued over 300 cats and birds, 73 dogs, 61 foxes, 17 horses, 17 deer and 7 squirrels. They also put out wildfires and fires caused by fire lanterns.
Firefighter Zen is an interesting read by a retired firefighter who spent his working life walking towards danger, rather than (like most of us) running away from it. In this unique collection of true stories, he shows you how to stay grounded while navigating danger, comforting others and responding to personal problems. It’s how we cope with these events (rather than the events themselves) that define the quality of our lives.
The best ways we can help firefighters:
- Smoke outside (and use a personal ashtray).
- Not drop cigarette litter (like a match to paper on dry land)
- Install smoke alarms (your fire service will check for vulnerable people) and get them checked.
- Always follow candle safety advice, if using.
- Throw out dodgy electric lights, Christmas lights etc
- Use safer oil-powered radiators over convector heaters
- Clean gas vents, flues & chimneys.
- Swap chip pans for air-fryers with safety cut-outs.
- When cooking, tie loose hair back, avoid floaty sleeves, face pan handles inwards and keep a mini extinguisher nearby.
- In bedrooms, don’t leave laptops or warm phones on beds, and switch off electric blankets etc, when not in use.
luxury accessories (from decommissioned firehose)
Elvis & Kresse is a unique company that takes firehose that has ‘gone into retirement’ after a 25-year heroic life of fighting fires, and then turns it into naturally red luxury accessories from wallets and belts to overnight bags. And even better, 50% of all profits help the Firefighter’s Charity, offering help to serving and financial firefighters with what they need.
Based in Kent, this small company sometimes lines items with reclaimed military-grade parachute silk and offers good warranties and reasonable repair costs after that. The wallet holder has sections for 4 credit cards and pockets for loose change, plus an extra pocket for cards and a section for notes (also Oyster-card friendly). It’s wipe-clean and water-resistant too.
Some items use rarer yellow firehose, and sometimes reclaimed Burberry fabric. The laptop bag has closed cell foam for ultimate protection. The big bags have adjustable padded shoulder straps and internal pockets. Of course these are luxury items so if you’re on a budget but like the idea, the company offers luggage tags too!
thought vegans were weak & weedy?
If you think that vegans are weedy and would fall over if you brushed them with a feather, meet Jade Konkel-Roberts, a vegan Scottish rugby player, who has played at national level for over 10 years. In her ‘other life’, she’s a serving firefighter.
Rip Esseltyn is a former US fightfighter who promotes the plant-strong lifestyle (he’s the son of the first cardiologist to reverse heart disease in patients through diet, proven on angiograms). At 60, he became world record holder in 200 metre backstroke for his age group!
We think Fiona Oakes is one of the most amazing people on the planet. Missing one kneecap, she nevertheless trained to become a firefighter. Then she opened a farm sanctuary for rescued animals. Now she runs marathons to raise money, while also fighting fires!
