Scope and Content
Includes material as follows:
- fire at Ickwell Cricket Club thatched pavilion*;
- proposal to pay pensions to retired retained firemen;
- fire at Kelia’s florist, Denbigh Road, Luton*;
- FBU criticise alleged sexist attitude in Beds FS preventing more women fire fighters joining the brigade;
- rooftop protest by a prisoner at H.M.Prison, Bedford*;
- CFO Morphew highlights severe shortage of manpower in Beds FS;
- fire at ex-Key Shop, Dumfries Street, Luton*;
- misleading article re change of name twice in less than a year from Bedfordshire Fire Service to Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service, then to Bedfordshire County Fire & Rescue Service with reply by CFO Morphew correcting the misleading impression;
- firemen negotiating to buy their tied houses “gazumped” by BCC;
- fire at Woodworth Motorcycles, Tavistock Street, Bedford*;
- use of red fluffy “Welephant” costume to alert young children to the dangers of fire*;
- fatal fire at Runley Road, Luton*;
- colour profile of ADO Derek Luff (Luton)*;
- anomaly of planning law which might lead to poor fire safety standards in new houses;
- Beds FRS suggestion of buying smoke alarms as Christmas presents;
- explosion of gas pipe at Grattan Road, Queen’s Park, Bedford*;
- poor civil defence readiness in Beds;
- fire at Crawley Road, Luton*;
- article by woman reporter on being a fire fighter*;
- arson by man in his own ninth floor flat, Becketts Court, Bedford*;
- youth’s hand blown off by explosive substances, 158 Mile Road, Bedford*;
- fire at Rumbelows, Midland Road, Bedford*;
- fire at Genesis Hair Salon, West Arcade, Bedford*;
- fire following death of the occupant, Close Road, Pavenham*;
- numerous articles on fierce gale and storm across the county, January 1990*;
- man set alight by another man at George II PH, Luton;
- suspected arson at Blockers Arms PH, High Town Road, Luton;
- HMI suggestion that full-time firemen should use holiday time to work at undermanned retained stations;
- fire at Dovehouse Hill, Luton*;
- arson at Icknield High School, Riddy Lane, Luton*;
- realistic exercise at Edward Peake Middle School, Biggleswade*;
- fire at bail hostel, Napier Road, Luton*;
- fatal fire at Eaton Road, Kempston;
- fire at derelict Co-op building, New Bedford Road, Luton*;
- fire cover at half strength in Bedford and Kempston;
- fire at Ashcroft High School, Crawley Green Road, Luton;
- arson at Elstow Craft Centre*;
- fatal aircraft crash of Piper Cherokee in the back garden of 45a Bedford Road, Cranfield*;
- attempted suicide by fire in H.M.Prison, Bedford;
- fire at Constable Hill, Bedford*;
- fire at Gardner Court, London Road, Luton*;
- severe undermanning at Toddington Fire Station*;
- arson at derelict Coach & Horses PH, Prebend Street, Bedford*;
- collision between a fire engine answering an emergency call and a car at Leagrave station;
- fire at Airdrie Carpet & Flooring, Midland Road, Bedford*;
- fire at derelict house in Clarendon Street, Bedford*;
- discovery that firemen had been given too much holiday time over the previous fifteen years;
- second arson attack at Genesis Hair Salon, West Arcade, Bedford*;
- fire at thatched Maple Cottage, Dove Lane, Harrold*;
- profile on retained woman fire fighter Lorraine Moore (Potton);
- fire at shop in London Road, Bedford*;
- fire at Saxon Bodywork Ltd., Houghton Road, Bedford*;
- simulated train crash in Linslade Tunnel*;
- FBU anger at plans to make full-time firemen cover for undermanned retained stations during their holidays;
- fears of gang warfare in Bedford Road and Stafford Road, Kempston;
- fatal fire at North Drive, Shortstown, Bedford*;
- death of retired fireman from asbestosis and claims by his widow that it was caused by attending a fire a Bedfordia farms [see FSD/PC 23] and by training involving crawling over asbestos covered pipes);
- arson at Jet Filling Station, Ashburnham Road, Bedford*;
- demonstration of fire safety issues re barbecues*;
- fatal fire at Cainhoe Road, Clophill*;
- arson at St.Luke’s church, High Street, Leagrave;
- arson at Arthur Price, betting shop, Queen’s Park, Bedford*;
- fatal fire at The Gelt, Bedford;
- arson at Mill Cycles, Old Mill Industrial Estate, Kempston*;
- fire at Morteyne Manor, Woburn Road, Marston Moretaine*;
- arson at Sketchley dry cleaners, High Street, Bedford*;
- continued undermanning in Beds FRS;
- arson at Don’s Kebabs, High Street, Bedford*;
- fire at Alexandra Road, Bedford*;
- formal launch of Beds FRS equal opportunities policy*;
- warning by Home Secretary, Kenneth Clarke, that undermanning in Beds FRS service is illegal;
- fatal fire at Queen’s Drive, Bedford*;
- article on crews at Dunstable Fire Station*;
- fire at Forrester Foods, Dallas Road, Bedford*;
- articles on BCC spending cuts, including to FRS*;
- article comparing British and French fire services*.