Page 40 - link magazine
P. 40
40 The Link Magazine • October 2001
Memories of the brave firefighters of
LEARN TO DANCE Play the
SPXSp Piano the Fire Department of New York
Start any week at 7pm By Sub-officer Martin Lloyd of Westlea Fire Station
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Monda : Atrium Learn to Sing l
Phone Swindon 340437 At the beginning of April this year, people trapped by fire or building
Wednesday: Zu Bar, Shaw Ridge for further information three Swindon firefighters, Station collapse, and vehicle extrication.
f.f.i. Ritmo Latino: 812177 The firefighters of Rescue 1 are
Walk in - dance out! Officer Pete Townsend, Assistant
Divisional Officer John Popowicz considered the'cream' of the New
and I, travelled to the United States York Fire Department. They are
on a fact-finding trip to North dedicated in the extreme, very pro-
Charleston and Savannah. fessional, committed to helping the
Because of flight transfers, we
Websites, e-commerce 4 00 ^Fi were fortunate enough to have two public they serve. It was desper-
ately sad to see a picture of their
and databases ... days in New York. vehicle crushed beneath tons of
PRODUCTOOMs Due to finances, the only way rubble and to hear that they were
that we could visit the city and not not to survive the unfolding dra-
bankrupt ourselves was by stay- mas of 11 September.
...MAKING IT EASY TO ing in a fire station on 8th Avenue, We all enjoyed the time we spent
the home of Engine 54 and Ladder looking around the city, most of it
GET YOUR BUSINESS ONLINE 4. The firefighters we met could a blur, trying to take in as much as
not have been friendlier. We were possible in a short time. Those of
made most welcome by the duty you who have been to New York
crew who wanted to know all about know that the twin towers were
We'll answer the questions about
us. one of the most imposing sights.
what the internet can do for you. The sheer size
was overwhelm-
Call us on: 01635 230235 ing, making it one
of the city's big-
gest tourist attrac-
tions. We were no
exception, spend-
ing time at the top
looking out from
the observation
level.
The memories
w w.moleproductions.com of the visit have
now been placed
Within a short space of time it into a totally different perspective.
became apparent that our stay on Our hearts go out to all the people
the station was not going to be a involved in the tragic aftermath of
restful one. It seemed that every the terrorist attack on Tuesday 11
couple of minutes the station alarm September - the office workers,
was going off and the crews were the tourists, the firefighters, po-
responding to a firecall. The bat- lice, medics - to anybody involved
talion that the station fell in was in the continuing tale of rescue
right in the middle of the theatre and recovery under circumstances
district in midtown Manhattan. that we cannot even imagine.
The station next in line was the As for the firefighters of Engine
home to Rescue 1, a search and 54 and Ladder 4, and also Rescue
rescue appliance whose sole pur- 1, sadly we know that many of
pose was to carry out rescue of them lost their lives. We were
shocked to see the picture in the
Loss of a friend never met papers of Rescue 1 buried under
rubble, and the gallery of missing
Sheila Mitchell from Westlea writes
firefighters in The People on 16 Sep-
In the past The Link has published tember was chilling. They were
stories about my research into such a cheerful bunch of guys, and
Hannah Lightfoot, believed to be heroes one and all. We pray for
the morganatic wife of George III. their families.
On the 92nd floor of the New
York World Trade Centre on 11 Victims support
September a lady who has shared Swindon fire fighters had a huge
my interest in Hannah for some response to a public collection
time, was working. for the Fire Department of New
I had never met Cindy Dueul but York victims fund at the end of
both she and her brother had cor- September.
responded over the last two years Donations are still welcome and
on the subject of Hannah. canbe sent to Station Commander
Sadly she has not been found.
Pete Townsend at Westlea Fire
Sheila has written a poem Ques- Station. Cheques should be made
tions for God as a tribute to her out to 'Wiltshire Fire Brigade.
friend and to all the other people
affected by the horrendous trag- • An article from fire fighter Shau n
edy. It can be found on our web site Dunham about his trip to China in
@ www.swindonlink.com June will be published next month.
