Wednesday 8 February 2007 - 12.00 hrs
AFTER a fortnight in the sweltering heat, pounding the roads of
West Africa, the Deputy Fire Chief of Avon has returned home having
risen to his ‘Ultimate Challenge’.
Jerry O’Brien, Deputy Chief Fire Officer at Avon Fire &
Rescue Service (AF&RS), is back doing his day job at the end of
a fundraising trip during which he ran, cycled and canoed the
entire length of The Gambia.
Dubbed the Ultimate Challenge, Jerry took on the adventure in
support of Bristol based charity, Gambia and Avon Fire Service in
Partnership (GAFSIP).
The partnership was established 16 years ago by David Hutchings,
a former chief of the then Avon Fire Brigade. While on holiday in
the African country he came across a road accident, where he saw
first-hand how poorly equipped the local fire and rescue service
were.
As a result of that experience David created GAFSIP when he
returned home, which through public and AF&RS donations has
helped build up the Gambian Fire and Ambulance Service. The
organisation now employs more than 1,000 people using vehicles and
equipment donated by Avon Fire & Rescue Service after they have
come to the end of their service life here. GAFSIP gained charity
status in 2005 so it can continue its vital work.
In a bid to boost the charity’s coffers AF&RS’s Deputy,
Jerry O’Brien, set out in January on a 500 mile journey to run,
canoe and cycle ride across the country. Along the way he stopped
off at fire stations, schools and other projects that money from
GAFSIP has supported.
Incredibly he managed to complete the journey a week ahead of
schedule, returning to his North Somerset home last Friday, after
15 days away.
Jerry said this week: "Physically it was obviously very
demanding as I was battling against temperatures in excess of 30
degrees, combined with unmade dusty roads that were littered with
pot holes."
But at every stage of the journey Jerry and GAFSIP Patron, David
Hutchings, who accompanied him on the trip, were met with large
crowds of people that turned out to support the marathon voyage
from the nation’s capital Banjul, deep into the country’s
interior.
Jerry added: "It was incredibly humbling to see how much the
fire service means to the people there as at every town we visited
we were met by hundreds and in some cases thousands of people who
came out to wish us well.
"It was great having the opportunity to see what a difference
the vehicles, equipment and training that GAPSIP can provide is
making to the communities, particularly those in the rural
areas.
"In fact on one of the last mornings we joined firefighters
called out to a fire that had burnt through the straw roof of a
small house. They extinguished it very quickly using equipment that
had come from AF&RS, but if that situation had happened 20
years ago I dread to think how much worse it could have been."
During the trip Jerry was joined by a film crew from BBC 1’s
Inside Out programme, which is due to be shown this Friday,
February 9, at 7.30pm. He also compiled an online diary which can
be viewed at Avon Fire & Rescue Service’s website, www.avonfire.gov.uk where there
are also details of how you can donate money to
GAFSIP.