Monday 10 November 2008
09.00 hrs
A firefighter from Bath, who has spent virtually all of his
career in the city, is hanging up his helmet and preparing for
retirement.
Firefighter Pete Marsh, who is a member of Red Watch at Bath
Fire Station, will finish his last shift on the same day he started
his career in the fire service, Thursday 13 November.
During his time at Avon Fire & Rescue Service, Pete has
attended many of the city’s incidents including the Walcot
Reclamation fire and an severe fire in the Twerton area, which saw
him rescuing a young girl over a balcony.
One of Pete’s passions is driving and for some of his career he
was a driving instructor for Avon Fire & Rescue Service. When
he retires he is planning to teach advanced driving techniques.
Speaking ahead of his retirement Pete, said: “I have really
enjoyed my time with the fire service. The job is so diverse. One
minute you can be attending a road traffic collision and the next
you are fitting a smoke detector in someone’s house. I think it’s
the diversity of the job that has kept me going all these
years.
“I will really miss being part of the fire service, and
especially working in Bath. I really love the city and have made
many friends here over the years, both at work and socially. My two
children were born in Bath and still work in the local area, so I
will definitely be back to visit my colleagues at the fire station
from time to time.”
Throughout his 30 years in the fire service Pete has also been
heavily involved in raising money for charity. He has taken part in
a canoe race, a parachute jump and walked from Bath Fire Station to
the BBC in Whiteladies Road, in Bristol to raise money for Children
in Need. Earlier this year Pete and one of his colleagues even
drove an ambulance from Bristol to the Gambia to raise money for
the Gambia and Avon Fire Services in Partnership (GAFSIP).
Watch Manager, Kevin Escott, who has known Pete for most of his
career, said: “It has been a real pleasure to work with Pete and
over the years we have become great friends. He is the kind of guy,
who will do anything for anyone and we will really miss him on the
watch.”
Pete is planning to celebrate the end of his career in the fire
service with his colleagues at a special party in Bath.