AFA, African Express, Transfesa Way

We turned out to the second AFA at African Express in a month at 8.12am on Friday morning. One I didn't turn out to so I'm not sure who else turned out for it - last time it was Paddock Wood and Tunbridge Wells wholetime when it went off twice in the same night.

Karting day at Buckmore Park

Everyone lining up on the grid and as it was Tosh's leaving do, he was presented with a couple of keepsakes by Station Manager, Dave Underdown.

Corporate Management Board visit Matfield

Thursday night saw the Corporate Management Board(CMB) visit Matfield to meet the crew for a questions and answers session. The session covered a range of topics allowing service personnel to interact with decision makers within the organisation.

Refurbishment of lecture room finished

We will be 'available at base' this evening between 7.30pm and 9.30pm as it is drill night. This means we get to use the kitchen and lecture room pretty much for the first time since the refurbishment was finished at the fire station!

Good availabilty this week

Which means we will be on the run until about 1.30pm everyday then back on at 6pm.

AFA, Goudhurst Road, Cranbrook

Mobilised at around 10.45am today in response to an AFA in Cranbrook. Crew of four rode, control received stop message from Cranbrook whilst en route so turned round before Goudhurst and came back.

RTC training

Last Thursday's drill night Matfield went over to Tonbridge fireground for RTC training - under observation from a KFRS trainer, we performed glass management and stabilisation on two vehicles in the vehicle compound. In normal circumstances this would be performed before a rescue pump ladder arrives with cutting gear.

Blantyre Prison, Goudhurst AFA

Automated fire alarm at Blantyre House Prison in Goudhurst went off just after midnight Tuesday 18th May - false alarm. Hawkhurst at least were also in attendance, couldn't quite see out the back of the cab if there were any other appliances there.

Blue Bell Cafe Fire

Happened just over a week before the blog started. Mobilised at about 2.15 am we were second on scene after Paddock Wood. The fire was at it's peak when we arrived - really raging. Drew water from a nearby stream and created a relay to Paddock Wood's pump. Marden, Tonbridge, Maidstone then Strood turned up on top of an incident command unit and a command support unit. The worst of the fire was over by around 3.30am before damping down. Got back about 5.30am, Paddock Wood were the last to leave the scene.

Fog mistaken for smoke

5.45am Friday 22nd May a member of public reported seeing smoke in the area on the A21 towards Lamberhurst - Matfield and Tunbridge Wells turned out. We joined the A21 just as Tunbridge Wells were flying down towards Kipping Cross - twenty minutes of driving around but it was just a thick but low lying fog - easy mistake to make!

Garage Fire in Paddock Wood

Less than 30 minutes after returning from the RTC in Seven Mile Lane, the bleepers went off again. This time reports of a garage alight in Warrington Road, Paddock Wood. It was advised that the garage was attached although it was detached from the house. Paddock Wood in first attendance and when we arrived we set up a relay from our appliance to Paddock Wood's although this was not needed. The fire was contained fairly pretty quickly but unfortunately inflicted considerable damage on the building.

RTC on Seven Mile Lane

Mobilised at around 6.15pm on Sunday evening to an accident on Seven Mile Lane with a report of a person trapped in a vehicle. Crew of 5 from Matfield attended along with paramedics, police, Paddock Wood's crew and Tonbridge wholetime unit. One female was taken to hospital. One car was on it's roof in the road whilst the other laid in a back garden having left the road and having clumped a garage and taken out a fence. Scene looked messy.