THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT WORK
A PERSONAL LOOK
Totnes Fire Station has a compliment of 25 firefighters led by Station Manager Steve Howrihane and supported by a further two Watch Managers and three Crew Managers. Personnel range in age from early twenties to their mid fifties, and have in service time from 2 - 35 years, with all personnel living within Totnes and the immediate surrounding area. Due to the varied nature of the firefighters primary employment, the station knowledge base is vast, with Vehicle Mechanics, Plumbers, Electricians, Drivers, Local Authority Managers, Water Authority Managers, Mechanical/Elecrical Engineers, Painter & Decorators, Builders, Wholetime Firefighters, Metal Fabricators, Plant Engineers, Farmers and Business Owners.
Thursday drill night ensures all competencies and allotted training times are kept to the required level.
The station crewing levels are a minimum of 5 personnel per pumping appliance and a crew of 2 for the Incident Command Vehicle.
FIREFIGHTERS - PAST & PRESENT
FIRE SERVICE PROMOTION
Until now Sub Officer of the Totnes Section of the Devon County Fire Service, Mr George Martin has just been appointed Station Officer, in succession to Mr Joe Seaford, who retired from the Brigade after 34 years service. He joined in January 1951.
Mr Martin, (right) who like Mr Seaford, is employed at the West of England Bacon factory, is well known as the electrician responsible for the lovely lighting affects for stage shows at the Civic Hall.
The photograph of Mr Seaford, (left) wearing his brass helmet, is a reminder of the days of "the old brigade". It was taken in the late 1930's when Mr Seaford was a fireman. It is the only photograph he has of himself except when in a group.
The other photograph is a recent one of Mr Martin in the present day type of helmet.
(Article taken from an unknown local paper)
WEST OF ENGLAND LIGHT PUMP CHAMPIONS - 1940
Firemen Toby Finch, Bill Rowe, Joe Seaford, Cliff Netherton standing with their well won trophy outside the old Totnes Fire Station
HELP WITH THIS PICTURE PLEASE.
An excellent picture of a Totnes crew in front of an ATV. Some I recognize, several I don't, any help!.
LONG SERVICE AWARD - FEB 1974
Totnes firemen gather round as Divisional Officer Don Ramsay presents a long service/good conduct award to Fm Ron Terry at Totnes Fire Station.
L-R
Stan Hannaford - Peter Rae - Brian Stevens - Ian Slatter - Ron Terry - Paul Sherriff - DO Ramsay - Jimmy Winter - Les Fraser - Michael Male.
L - R
Station Officer Tony Bowhay - Assistant Divisional Officer Ken Wellberry - Sub Officer Dave Fisher
Note
Reflected in the window is Torquay's AEC Turntable Ladder
Yarner Woods fire, Bovey Tracey 1985
Sub Officer (Sub/O) Dave Fisher being presented with his Long
Service medal from Chief Fire Officer Neil Wallington
Leading Firefighter (L/FF) Brian Stevens being presented with his Long Service medal by the then Chief Fire Officer Neil Wallington
If I remember correctly Brian asked for his medal presentation to be at Totnes Fire Station and with no fuss, just his family and the firefighters he served with.
LONG SERVICE AWARD SEPTEMBER 1996
MEDALS FOR FIRE TRIO
"Sixty years of fire fighting between them. Totnes trio (L - R) Steve Howrihane - Niall Osman and Geoff Gell with the 20yr long service medals they collected at a special presentation at headquarters, near Exeter. All three joined up within 3 months of each other.
A fire spokesman said it was very unusual for one station to get three long service medals on the same day."
Picture and quote taken from an unknown local paper.
SUB/OFFICER DAVE FISHER'S LAST DRILL NIGHT ON THE STATION BEFORE RETIREMENT..
Several officers from South Division HQ dropped into the station on the night to wish Dave a happy retirement
Back Row L-R
Ian Slatter - Stan Hannaford - Paul Chambers - Mark Rowe - Roy Bowhay - ADO Bob Prince
Steve Mason - Brian Stevens - Ron Lamble - Dan Coulston - Bob Edgecombe - Niall Osman
Front Row L-R
Nigel Holmes - Gary Throgmorton - ADO John Eastley - Divisional Commander Ted Wright
Dave Fisher - Tony Bowhay - Kevin Hoare - Glyn Bevan
Note the Officers quietly walking away
Totnes Fire Station sponsored manual pumping, using only a stirrup pump.
Late 1970's
The two pictures below were taken in the Civic Hall forecourt. The idea was to raise money by hand pumping as much water as possible over a period of time. We constructed a temporary dam using short extension ladders and salvage sheets, initially filling the dam from the appliance tank and pumping from buckets back into the dam.
the firefighters in the picture are from L - R
Dave Fisher - Stan Hannaford - Brian Stevens - Ib Rassmussen - ? - Tommy Bertlesen - Steve Howrihane - Myself - Geoff Gell and Paul Hageman taking the water out of the dam.
Brian - Tommy - Steve H - Paul
REMEMBRANCE DAY
Totnes Remembrance Parade passing the Butterwalk in High Street on their way to the War Memorial outside St Mary's Church
The Parade, which starts from the Rotherfold area in the Narrows at the top of the town, is led every year by Totnes firefighters in dress uniform and white gloves. The wreath in this years picture being carried and laid on the memorial by F/f Tim Coysh.
The two men who can be seen directly behind the firefighters wearing the tricorn hats and leading the Mayor and the Town Council are retired Station Officer Tony Bowhay - Town Sergeant (on the right) and retired Leading Firefighter Stan Hannaford - Town Mace Bearer (on the left).
IN MEMORY OF
IAN SLATTER
Totnes Town Councillor / Firefighter
A very well known figure in Totnes, a Totnes town Councillor for over 30 years and respected throughout the Fire Service.
As a rememberance of Ian's remarkable life, monies were raised to place a bench in his honour in the centre of Totnes. The bench was fitted, and the unveiling ceremony organised, by Totnes firefighters and was a fitting memorial to Ian.
In the words of WM Steve Howrihane "He will be sadly missed. He was a man with one thing at his heart and that was Totnes and it's wellbeing."
BELOW
Nothing more to be said.
STATION PERSONNEL PHOTOGRAPHS
STATION PERSONNEL - 1976
Pictured in front of appliances 31-3 Bedford HCB/ANGUS WR/T on the left and 31-2 Bedford Firefly WR/T/L on the right.
Back Row L - R
Derek Barton - Paul Sherriff - Ian Slatter - Adrian Bentley - Tommy Bertlesen - Niall Osman - Brian Stevens - Barry Evans - Geoff Gell - Steve Howrihane
Front Row L - R
Glyn Bevan - Les Fraser - Peter Rae -
Stan Hannaford - Dave Fisher - Tony Bowhay -
Ron Terry
Jimmy Winter - Paul Hageman -
Ib Rassmussen
STATION PERSONNEL - 1982
Pictured with applances 31-2 COMMER COMMANDO "Multi" ( PPF 666W ) on the left and 31-1 DENNIS D Series ( YDV 739S )on the right.
Back Row L-R
Roy Bowhay - Geoff Gell - Mark Rowe - Steve Mason - Barry Plimmer -
Bob Edgecombe - Ian Slatter - Niall Osman -
Derek Barton
Front Row L-R
Glyn Bevan - Nigel Holmes - Steve Howrihane - Brian Stevens - Tony Bowhay - Dave Fisher - Brian Higgin - Stan Hannaford - Fred Rowe
STATION PERSONNEL - 1980s
L - R
Brian Stevens - Gary Throgmorton - Glyn Bevan Mark Rowe - Danny Coulston - Brian Higgin
Stan Hannaford - Geoff Gell - Steve Howrihane - Niall Osman - Steve Mason
STATION PERSONNEL - 1988
Pictured with appliances 31-2 DENNIS RS ( E995 VTA ) on the left and 31-2 DENNIS RS ( CTT 288Y ) on the right.
Back Row L-R
Nigel Holmes - Roger Williams - Ian Slatter - Tim Coysh - Paul Chambers
Middle Row L-R
Phil Trant - Geoff Gell - Dave Day - Chris Dodd - Brian Williams - Lee Hrycyszyn - Keith Cox
Front Row L-R
Colin Horswill - Steve Mason -
Steve Howrihane - Brian Higgin -
Brian Stevens - Niall Osman
Below
The same picture with caps off and in a more relaxed mood
Just a shame about the haircuts.
STATION PERSONNEL - 2003
Pictured with appliances 31-2 Volvo/Saxon WRT/L on the left and Volvo/Saxon WRT on the right.
Back Row L-R
Scott Atkins - Martin Billis - Phil Trant -
Andy Rowse - Paul Allford - Keith Cox -
David Day - Niall Osman - Paul Chambers.
Front Row L-R
Keith Mulhall - Vanessa Mayo - Nigel Holmes - Gary Throgmorton - Darren Hodge -
Steve Mason - Steve Howrihane - Dave Stead.
STATION PERSONNEL 2007
Pictured with the two MAN/JDC appliances in the background.
Back Row L-R
Liz Clegg - Darren Hodge - Roger Williams - Simon Tanner - Paul Burrows -
Dan Cobbledick - Karl Morris - Dave Day - Kris Horswill
Middle Row L-R
Nigel Holmes - Trevor Feltham - Andy Rowse - Paw Eg - John Ripley - Dean Nettleton - Paul Allford -
Brian Cunningham - Vanessa Mayo
Front Row L-R
Vicky Bishop - Keith Cox - Steve Mason -
Steve Howrihane - Martin Billis -
Paul Chambers - Niall Osman -
Gary Throgmorton
STATION PERSONNEL 2012
Back Row L-R
Darren Hodge - Vicky Bishop - Nigel Holmes - Kris Horswill - Gary Throgmorton - Liz Clegg - Paul Burrows
Middle Row L-R
Phil Trant - Adam ? - Trevor Feltham - Dan Cobbledick - Paul Allford - Phil Atkins - Brian Cunningham
Front Row L-R
Keith Cox - Paul Chambers - Roger Williams (OiC) - Martin Billis - Simon Tanner - Niall Osman
A FINE CREW RESTING AT THE COTT INN FIRE - DARTINGTON
Steve Howrihane - Niall Osman - Brian Stevens - Stan Hannaford - Dave Day - Geoff Gell.
THANKS.
TO ALL THE EX FIREFIGHTERS TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION HERE, WHO HAVE SERVED AT TOTNES FIRE STATION, SOME FOR A SHORT WHILE AND SOME FOR MANY MANY YEARS
THANK YOU
AND TO ALL THE EX FIREFIGHTERS WHO SADLY ARE NO LONGER WITH US
R.I.P.