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Holloway Red watch, from left: Alan Flynn, London Fire Commssioner Ron Dobson, Nicholas Thomas and Robert Summerfield
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Award for fire crew who took on armed man in knife attack
‘Red watch are a credit to the London Fire Brigade and the whole community’
HOLLOWAY firefighters who took on an armed man – and gave life-saving treatment to his victim – have been commended for their bravery.
Red watch crew manager Alan Flynn and firefighters Lee Thomas, Ben Dawes and Robert Summerfield received a special achievement award from London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson during a ceremony hosted by broadcaster Alistair Stewart at Millbank Tower last Wednesday.
The award was the result of their actions when they rushed to the aid of a stabbing victim in Seven Sisters Road in September last year.
Returning from a routine call, the crew were flagged down by members of the public who told them of a serious stabbing. They rushed to help, giving life-saving first-aid to the victim, who had been stabbed in the stomach.
Crew manager Flynn and Firefighter Thomas followed the attacker, who had been pointed out to them as he made his escape, keeping themselves between him and the public in case he struck again. They then cornered him in front of a shop and held on to him until police arrived.
At the same time, firefighters Dawes and Summerfield looked after the injured victim, applying pressure and dressings to his wounds and giving him oxygen, which helped keep him alive until the ambulance arrived.
Crew manager Flynn said: “We found ourselves in very different circumstances to those we are trained for. It was a case of ‘We need to do something here’ and we just had to improvise.
“The victim had been stabbed in the abdomen, was quite badly injured and was barely conscious. Firefighters Dawes and Summerfield did a good job of rendering first-aid and reassuring him until the ambulance turned up. Afterwards there was a sense of pride in what we had achieved and I’m really pleased for the crew that the Brigade has acknowledged their actions in this way.”
London Fire Brigade group manager Peter Cowup, who nominated red watch for the award, said: “Faced with a chaotic situation, the presence of mind and bravery of all four firefighters that day not only helped save the life of the injured victim but helped ensure the safety of those other members of the public who were there.
“They are a credit to London Fire Brigade and the community they serve.”
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