News
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CFO ANSELL TO RETIRE (05/09)
CFO Ben Ansell has announced his intention to retire as Chief Fire Officer of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service at the end of this year after completing 30 years’ service. He was appointed CFO in 2016. Many of the press announcements of this news have linked it to the fact that in 2023 an independent investigation revealed that there was an undercurrent of misogyny and sexism in the service creating a ‘boy’s club’ culture.
RUSSIA LOSING OIL SUPPLIES IN MASSIVE BLAZE (22/08)
A very serious fire is raging in the Rostov area of Russia caused by a drone attack launched by Ukraine. The fire is at a refinery and 22 storage tanks of the 74 on site are alight. The fire is not yet under control and has already burnt for three days. Scores of firefighters have been injured out of over 500 sent to try to extinguish the burning storage tanks.
DEATH OF JEAN ARMOUR (16/08)
Jean Armour, one of our widow members, has died. Jean was married to Maurice who served his time in the LFB at Southall. The couple retired to Warminster where Maurice suffered ill health and died several years ago. He joined WRFA and on his death Jean joined.us. The WRFA was able to assist Jean in a number of ways over the years she lived alone in Warminster. Her health gradually deteriorated and her mobility became impaired and so did her eye sight. Jean was glad to receive copies of ‘The Branch’ in audio format.
Jean passed away in Salisbury District Hospital on 1st August. She had been suffering from cancer for six weeks but she actually died from pneumonia. Jean’s funeral was held at Semington Crematorium on 28th August. Rest in peace, Jean.
NO SEAT BELT IN FATAL CRASH (14/07)
On October 12th 2023 Mark Hillier, a watch manager serving in Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service died in a tragic road collision near Pewsey on the A345. He was responding on his pocket alerter. His car hit another head-on. Mark was not wearing a seat belt and the coroner, Ian Singleton, at the inquest held on 4th July commented that Mark would probably have survived if his seat belt had been fastened.
Police serious collisions investigator, Lee Mayhew, told the coroner that the rear nearside tyre of Mark’s car was underinflated and had been set for some time. This defective tyre in the opinion of the investigator caused Mark to lose control of his car. On the day of his death Mark had been employed on the ‘Safe Drive Stay Alive’ project at a local school.