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Local Notes
Long Stratton fire station is located at Swan lane approximately 100 metres from the main A140 junction. We have one appliance, a Mercedes 1222 which carries a wide range of equipment, enabling us to perform the tasks of firefighters. We are a retained fire station, this meaning that we utilise pocket alerters/pagers as way of alert to a fire call, we sleep in our own homes and only go to the station when necessary.
Long Stratton also has the addition of having a Fire Cadet Unit where young people between 13 and 18 are trained in all the safety aspects of fire fighting. They drill on a Wednesday evening between 1900 and 2100, if anyone is interested you can call in at this time alternatively, you can contact the Cadet Supervisor James Little on 07779 784436.
The Retained fire fighters drill on a Thursday evening between 1900 and 2130, if anyone is interested in joining the retained service then please call in at this time alternatively, please contact Sub Officer Paul Scott on 01508 530639.
History.
Things have come on a long way since 1896 when the first Merryweather pump was bought for just £150. At this time James Mills Weller was the superintendent of Long Stratton Fire Brigade. The pump was stored in a shed on Flowerpot Lane, which can still be seen today. Horses were used to pull the pump and 16 men were needed to crew it. The firemen were called by 2 maroons being sent up, 1 exploded in the air and 1 on the ground, the horses were collected and the pump turned out! This pump was last used in around 1935. This Fire Engine is believed to be still in Norfolk, the station is looking for information on its current location.
The next trailer pump was stored in a garage during WW2 and was pulled by any available vehicle.
Next came an engine that was similar to today's. This was kept in a cart shed in the Angel Public house car park, the trailer pump was still pulled at this time. George Stebbings was in charge by then and the firemen used to have their drill night in the Angel Pub. By this time a siren was being used instead of maroons as way of alert, when the siren sounded the men would go out and crew the fire engine. During the night the siren was not used, each fireman had a bell in their home which sounded when there was a firecall.
The fire engine moved to it's present location in the early 1960s where Gilbert Hardesty took over from George Stebbings.
Gilbert Hardesty was followed by:
Bertie Warnes;
Peter Farrow;
Tony Lorne;
Peter Smith; and currently
Paul Scott
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