Fireman My Story

This story belongs to James

and his Papa Jim.

It's a tiny tale about Papa Jim and the things he used to do.

Now it's time for him to share his memories

and take James on a journey of discovery.

What are you doing? Playing at firemen?

If you're going to play at it, you're better if you look like one.

Whoa, that's a real fireman's helmet!

When you go into fires, things fall off roofs,

and you've got to have it for protection.

If there's slates or...

Papa Jim used to be a fireman.

Did you drive a fire engine?

I did, yes. I used to drive it when I was in the south.

I drove after my training. After about a year,

I started to drive fire engines.

-Did you used to climb ladders?

-Yes, I did.

We used to put the ladders up

when we couldn't get through doors

and get people out through windows.

They chatted some more,

and then it was time for Papa Jim to take James on an adventure.

James is going to have so much fun.

Papa Jim used to work on a farm.

Papa, why did you become a fireman?

In those days, I worked on the farms, which was a very hard job.

Papa Jim thought life would be easier away from the farm,

and decided to join the Fire Service.

But he soon discovered that his new job was just as hard.

It was hard work, the training, especially.

That was the fittest you would ever be,

running about, up and down ladders.

In the Fire Service,

we had what we called dummies - big dolls we made ourselves.

We made them heavy, sewed Wellingtons on the end, to look like people.

We put them on our backs and carried them up and down,

kidding on we were rescuing them.

They practised rescuing people and putting out fires,

to prepare them for the real thing.

In the olden days, there were lots more fire stations.

In fact, there was one in every high street in every town.

It was in the fire station where Papa Jim met

a very special person, who James knows very well.

This is my gran!

Gran Marilyn also worked for the Fire Service

in this building, which is now a restaurant.

It used to be Glasgow's Central Fire Station.

Look at this old picture.

How different they look!

The firemen and their fire engines are ready to go to the rescue.

Today, Papa Jim has taken James back to the old fire station.

That's where your gran used to work. It was called the watch room.

Time for a fireman's lift, James.

Where are they now?

What was in here, Papa?

Well, this used to be the machines in here.

The fire engines were all in here.

Through the back door, we used to get the fire engines cleaned.

Where did the pole used to be, Papa?

The poles came down from the canteen to the back of the station.

Let's go and see some real fire engines.

What a good idea, Papa Jim.

In days gone by, people used to burn coal to heat their homes.

And sometimes, accidents happened and houses would go on fire.

Papa Jim and his buddies would come dashing to the fire,

bells all ringing and lights flashing, to save the day.

With hoses and ladders, and those big, thick boots and helmets,

they put out the flames and made it safe for everyone.

What a good job!

But what about those fire engines?

These are some models of fire engines. See this one here?

When I started, that's the kind of fire engine I went to fires in.

This big one here, when I used to drive them,

it had a big long ladder on it with wheels.

I used to sit in there and drive the fire engines.

Papa, these are only toys. You said we could see real fire engines.

Oh, well, wait a minute, then.

OK. So where are they?

Right, come here. We'll see what's behind these doors.

You wanted to see real fire engines. Right, there you go.

Now you're talking, Papa Jim.

Look at that, then. How does that...? Eh?

There's the old uniforms, like your Papa used to wear.

That nice, shiny helmet. We had to clean all of our equipment.

The old boots that the men wore.

I used to have a tunic like that, and you saw my axe earlier on.

Wait a minute, until we see what's in here.

Oh, it's a length of hose. Look.

That's the nozzle, where the water comes out.

You carry that into the fire.

We'll see what's in here. More hose in here, there you go.

And look at these. These are brass. Feel the weight of that!

Oh, it's heavy!

Is it heavy, is it?

Watch your head.

What's in there, Papa?

Oh, I don't know. You better open it and see.

Oh, look that at this.

See this cupboard here?

If we can't get into a fire,

we use these tools to break in so we can put the fire out.

Right, close the locker. That's it.

There you go. Come on, I'll show you something else.

Well, you wanted to see a real fire engine.

What do you think of this one? Eh?

HE LAUGHS

Do you quite like this one, do you?

Right, I tell you what. See that button right at the top?

Press it down hard. Press it down.

BELL RINGS

Oh, hello! What was that?

Right, press it down.

BELL RINGS

He's a bit of a monkey, Papa Jim.

He loves to mess about in the old firemen's uniforms.

From fine and fancy...

..to plain and simple...

..to grand and very, very special.

And what is Papa Jim up to now?

Ah, I see.

For protection in the thick, dark smoke,

they wore a mask to breathe and walked a very special funny walk

to test the floor for danger in the dark.

BELL RINGS

When the fire engines got too old to fix,

they got newer, bigger, better ones.

They were faster, stronger and safer,

and they got there even quicker when the fires were blazing.

Look at all that smoke!

Papa Jim and Grandma Marilyn had a son called Ross. He's James' dad.

And you'll never guess. He's a fireman, too.

See those doors?

Do you remember the size of the little doors at Greenock?

Well, the fire engines nowadays would never get in those little doors,

so they have to make really big doors.

You'll see.

Where to now, Papa Jim?

-This is my dad.

-Look at you, Fireman James!

I hear you've been looking at old fire engines and equipment.

-Yeah.

-I'll show you some new stuff. Come with me.

Now, what we've got in here...

I believe Papa had been showing you some old breathing apparatus sets.

Well, this is the new ones that we use.

In this pack here, we've got compressed air,

and how we breathe it is through this mask.

-Would you like to try it on?

-Yeah.

-OK.

If you take the helmet off, Papa.

The mask helps you breathe safely,

when there's lots of smoke and fumes.

When we go into a fire job, we put this over our face, like so.

And then we put that round the back of our head. How does that feel?

Looking good, James!

OK. Now, I'll show you something else.

This is a thermal imaging camera.

Now, if we get Papa to stand back a bit, we can look through this.

What this shows you is body heat. Can you see Papa?

-We can see the hot bits in his body. You see his face?

-Yeah.

-How it's all white?

-Yeah.

-What do you think?

-Good, isn't it?

-Yeah.

So when we come into a smoky room, we're able to find you.

Oh, that's clever.

-How was that?

-Good.

Now, come with me. I've got something else to show you.

I hear Papa gave you a fright with the bell in the old fire engine.

-Yeah.

-How about we give him a fright? You press that button.

SIREN WAILS

Papa Jim is now retired and no longer works as a fireman.

But he hasn't forgotten how to use a hose.

And that's dad, Ross, wearing his helmet and joining in the fun.

Right, we're going to try and knock the bucket off.

Papa Jim still loves the firefighting ways.

He knows how to use a hose,

and how to show his grandson to practise to get better.

Wait until your dad picks the bucket up.

We'll try and hit the bucket. Ready? Pull back.

Now we put it up there. And knock the bucket off.

And to soak James' dad wet through!

Way to go, James!

What a day for James!

Thanks, Papa, for a great day.

-You're welcome. Did you enjoy yourself?

-Yeah.

-That's good.

I enjoyed myself, too, seeing all the old fire engines

and uniforms that I wore and the new stuff that your daddy wears.

-So, what are you going to be when you grow up?

-Fireman.

A fireman? Oh, well, I think I can see a new story starting here.

So, what was the best bit today?

-Soaking my dad with the hose.

-Oh, soaking your dad with the hose.

I might have known! You're just like your dad.

What a fabulous heap of fun.

That was James and Papa Jim's tiny tale about the things

Papa Jimmy used to do and the fun he had,

and why he has a shiny yellow fireman's helmet.

Papa Jim has shared his story with James

and now James is starting his own story.

Do you know someone with a story to share?

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd