Firefighters of Cambridge

Firefighters of Cambridge vividly recalls what life was like for a dedicated firefighter in a large and busy fire station between 1951 and 1981. David Bennett was himself a firefighter at Cambridge Fire Station from 1972 to 1977 so this book draws from his own experiences as well as those of his colleagues at that time. Fighting fires, extricating people from road accidents and attending a myriad of other emergencies are all described - exacting and sometimes dangerous work. However, there was always a lighter side to the daily drama and the camaraderie and spirit of the firefighters is further captured in chapters covering their sense of humour, the sports and social club, the avoidance of useless workA and moonlighting after hours. The book goes on to detail the work of the Fire Brigades Union and the response to the union call for the national strike of 1977-1978 and ends by highlighting how the military societyA of firefighters dissolved in subsequent decades.