London firefighters who courageously battled devastating fires during last summer’s record-breaking heatwave have been recognised by the local council for their efforts.
Crews from fire stations across Havering received special appreciation from the borough’s Mayor at an awards ceremony at Havering Town Hall on Wednesday (April 19).
Their actions in July last year undoubtedly saved lives as temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in London for the first time since records began. Whilst an unprecedented number of fires broke out across London, Havering suffered badly with fires in Wennington, where sadly residents are still affected by the impact.
Mayor Trevor McKeever, a retired firefighter, praised crews for their “devotion to duty” and “meritorious service” to the Havering community. Recipients of the award included Borough Commander Paul McClenaghan, Romford and Harold Hill Station Commander Alex Strand, Wennington and Hornchurch Station Commander Graham Beers and Dagenham Station Officer Alan Furlong.
Red Watch firefighters from fire stations across the borough, who were on duty during the day on July 19, were present to receive their honour from Havering Council. An award was also presented in recognition of the efforts displayed by firefighters from the whole of London.
Borough Commander for Havering, Paul McClenaghan, said: "We would like to thank the Mayor for his support and for recognising our efforts. For a lot of my firefighters, Havering is where they live and each and every one of them stood up to be counted.
"Our borough was one of, if not the busiest in London, with huge resources thrown towards fires in Wennington and Upminster, in addition to the countless other incidents attended by crews.
"Despite the devastation these fires brought to our community, I’m proud of the spirit that has been shown by firefighters, officers, our cadets, emergency service colleagues and residents since. It has brought the best out of everyone, such as helping to clear debris after the fires and when we opened our station doors in Wennington for Halloween.”
Assistant Commissioner for Fire Stations, Spencer Sutcliff, said: “Last summer was one of the busiest ever for the Brigade, with extreme temperatures bringing unprecedented impact across the capital.
“Our firefighters demonstrated excellent courage and vital teamwork as they battled fire after fire, and importantly, they were soundly supported by staff from across the service.
“We are incredibly humbled by this award and are proud of the role that we played protecting our communities, but our focus is on ensuring we are prepared for similar incidents of extreme weather that London will inevitably face.”