Surrey Recruit Course - 1997 Video

[ItsNathanHere]

Stumbled across this yesterday and thought people might like to see. It's a surprisingly in-depth video about the recruit's training course for Surrrey. I'm sure some of it will still be relevant in my upcoming course but I'd love to hear what some of members here think of it! 
 

P.S I'd be interested to know if anyone knows what became of Ff P.D Hayes who was posted to Sunbury; I used to live just down the road from the station and hearing the bullhorn blaring down the road while I was trying to get to sleep on school nights is what sparked the major interest in the job for me!

[Becile]

Brings back memories, interesting to a very young Gavin Watts (lff)around 2 minute mark.. now CFO West Sussex.

Lots of changes, no more training for one !

[Tom]

Good find. Love the backdraft procedures (getting your number 2s hands & sleeves soaked before entry!)

[Paul LFB]

Watching them doing the water relay in the forest brings back memories of Brinscall Hill 

[Becile]

I remember carrying that lpp for miles! Light portable pump - my a##e.

[Hyperion]

Wimbourne who was pulled up on parade came back as a Lf instructor when i was doing my basic training there in the summer of 2003. 

[Carl]

Our LPPs are about 100kg and very awkward to carry even with handles. As for the training, I love seeing the old footage from the 70s and 80s surrounding firefighter training. Its certainly changed, not sure much of it for the better, but thats just how it is. 

One think I remember about my course which was residential for 14 weeks was putting up ladders in the dark, something the recruits of today do not experience until on a station. Also pumping from open water was part of our nighttime training. Again something which is lacking these days. Im sounding like a dinosaur now 

[Becile]

And the endless changes from working rig, to fire kit,to undress uniform, alll because one of us couldnt polish shoes or the odd bit off fluff...happy days.

[Keith]

We nearly lost one of our squad on the first day as he was last out every time there was a change of uniform and he was already on report after arriving late, unshaved and with long hair. Needless to say words were said and he made more of an effort the next day.

[Percy]

What a fantastic find!

Paul Hayes is now a WCB in Fire Protection, my first Station was Sunbury and believe me the bullhorn was a necessity.