The Suffolk Hyde Affair - Doc 199 Suffolk Fire Engine Accident

Re Doc 198 reference Ff Stebbings and ACFO Seager’s plea for Natural Justice.

This is with regard to the discipline prosecution of Firefighter Phil Stebbing’s in 1995.

The basic facts are that during a training drill designed and organised by Sub Officer Roy Mitchell, at Lowestoft Fire Station, Phil Stebbing’s, as driver of the Station engine managed to crash the damn thing and turn the vehicle on its side.

I will re-iterate the last bit. Yes it was only a training drill and the near-new shiny 100 grand plus Volvo ended up crash out on its side with the rest of the crew slumped inside the cab. Hmm good job it wasn’t a flaky Bedford with an unprotected cab.

The crew included Firefighter Jim Bussey, Firefighter Jeff Long, Firefighter David Halliday, and possibly Firefighter Ian Pettit. Physical injuries sustained by Firefighter David Halliday led to his early retirement (ill health) soon after. Firefighter Jeff Long also departed the service on ill health some years later and still claiming to be traumatised by the "Great Lowestoft Fire Station Fire Engine Disaster."

As For Sub Officer Roy Mitchell as the chief pooh-bah of the training exercise he was not sitting on the engine when it fell over. No reports at the scene say that as the excessively speeding fire Engine careered across the Lowestoft Fire Station drill yard he was seen running backwards for his life to take shelter while at the same time wildly waving his arms and the rest of his body towards driver Phil. Seemed that after Sub Officer Roy had worked Firefighter Phil up into frenzy for the creation of reality, right at the last moment he wanted him to tone it down a big and take his foot off the flat out gas pedal. Seemed that Firefighter Phil twigged and got the message. Unfortunately, it was a little bit too late as he swapped accelerator for brake pedal. Locked brakes, Fire engine out of control, bit of a shimmy to the left then right, up on two wheels, bit of an empty feeling in the tummy for the riders, and a crash bang and wallop as the vehicle slid over on it side. Wot with all the noise and the seismic vibration reverberating throughout the station it wasn’t long before a crowd of brigade onlookers gathered to assist the emerging battered and bruised Firefighters from the crumpled Fire Engine. In terms of a Carlsberg probably ad "Probably the most realistic fire training exercise in the world." Ever!

However, what was quite handy was the fact that was a gaggle of senior Suffolk Fire Officers were upstairs on the station for an Officers training day. Health and Safety if memory is correct. Even more handy then, that is Officers being right on the spot to get stuck in with the investigation. At the time it happened they were being lectured to by Sub Officer Pete (Redders) Redbourn who witnessed the whole unfolding episode through the windows. Later dryly remarking that he thought the Engine was going a bit fast as it flashed by. Then as the Engine fell over allegedly calmly turning to the class of Officers and saying, ‘ I think you’re wanted outside for an accident.’

Of course in the annals of most Fire Brigades there are usually a few legendary scraps and bangs with fire Engines. Difference is that this mega Fire engine disaster happened on the home fire station during a supposedly controlled training exercise.

Well anyway once the injured had been treated and everybody had dusted themselves down it was time for the recriminations to begin.

Seems that Firefighter Phil, a long serving officer, had been wound up by Sub Officer Roy. You see it wasn’t long since Roy had transferred onto the watch from the training department upstairs. Being a high volume in your face character, complete with an extreme cussing vocabulary he was of the opinion that his inferiors should jump at his request. Hence his incessant pressured demand to Firefighter Phil to make the drill realistic. And the parting jibe to Phil to ‘give it some’ as the crew mounted the Fire Engine to drive round the block before entering the drill yard.

Having taken a high powered tongue lashing from Sub Officer Roy, Phil’s muttered response as he took the drivers seat was, ‘right, if he wants me to give it plenty, I’ll give plenty. And as explained above he did give it plenty. Plenty enough to create Suffolk Fire Service’s most realistic fire training exercise ever. Plus a broken Fire engine and two badly injured Firefighters.

As might be expected the powers that be were not best pleased about the "Great Lowestoft Fire Station Fire Engine Disaster." Very embarrassing for the Chief to explain to his employers, the Suffolk Council elected members, I suppose. Hmm best not tell them I think.

So with the Brigades senior Officers baying for blood somebody had to be punished. Well after an investigation the belligerent Sub Officer Roy was completely exonerated. Strange.

Instead the full weight of responsibility fell on Firefighter Phil. However, Firefighter Phil, and this is where ACFO Seagers reference in Doc 198 stems from, was in a bit of bother with his trade union the Fire Brigades Union. You see just shortly before the accident Firefighter Phil had decided he wanted to do wholetime retained duty. Ops, you see that was against the rules of the union and Firefighter Phil had been reported to the union. So having taken up wholetime retained the FBU declined to represent him at his disciplinary prosecution. As for ACFO Seager he was appalled by the union’s stance and took up the issue with the union on Firefighter Phil’s behalf. Yes according to ACFO Seager the FBU’s action was shameful and a breach of natural justice. Predictably the FBU refused to relent or be influenced by ACFO Seager’s natural justice intervention.

Never mind in the end Firefighter Phil came up trumps and the final outcome of his prosecution for causing the "Great Lowestoft Fire Station Fire Engine Disaster" was pretty minor. Yep a caution for near writing off a 150 grand fire engine, injuring at least two other firefighters and endangering the lives a host of others is pretty good.