We are extremely proud of Watch Manager Mark Harrison, Firefighters Angus Herdman, Mathew Jinks, Jamie Foster, Tom Pattison and John Richards from Consett Red Watch, who have been honoured with a certificate of appreciation for saving a man’s life in a house fire. WM Harrison and Firefighters Herdman, Jinks and Richards were all presented with their certificates by Chief Fire Officer Stuart Errington and Deputy Chief Fire Officer from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, Peter Heath at Consett Fire Station earlier today.
On the 5th of October 2021, the crew were mobilised at 7:20am to a house fire on Tees Street, Chopwell, where persons were reported trapped. This was an unfamiliar area to the crew as it is within Tyne and Wear’s Service area.
On arrival, the house was on a terrace with no access for vehicles to the front of the property which was approximately 100m from the appliance. Mark Harrison ran to the house to find one male at the first-floor window of a house with heavy smoke issuing from it also. The ground floor front room of the property was well alight. Mark instructed the crew to get a short extension ladder and a hose reel to rescue the male from the window.
Jamie Foster assisted Mathew Jinks to rescue the man from the first-floor window down the short extension ladder. For Jamie Foster this was his first house fire as a trainee Firefighter. The man was then given casualty care by Tom Pattison as he was suffering minor burns and smoke inhalation.
The man was rescued within 3 minutes of the crew first pulling up at this incident. Their quick and swift actions ultimately saved the man’s life.
Chief Fire Officer Stuart Errington awarded the heroic crew commenting “There is no doubt their professionalism, decision making, and exemplary teamwork meant that they were able to save someone’s life, I am immensely proud of them all, well done.”
Deputy Chief Fire Officer from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, Peter Heath, said: “It was an honour and a privilege to present the certificates to the firefighters from our neighbouring fire service in County Durham and Darlington. This shows how closely we work in partnership across the North East, when the crew from Consett Red Watch can assist an emergency incident in Tyne and Wear which has in turn helped to save a person’s life.”
