A beloved firefighter who has hung up his hose after more than a quarter of a century of loyal service at Homerton fire station has spoken of his delight that his son is following in his footsteps.
Paul Humphries, 55, retired just weeks after his son Matthew, 27, joined the neighbouring service in Stoke Newington. The local hero said his son starting was the “perfect end to his career”.
The making of the firefighter
While working as a motor mechanic in the Nineties, Mr Humphries realised he “needed a career that was more challenging and worthwhile. The fire service was everything that being a motor mechanic wasn’t,” he explained.
He hadn’t been to school for many years and his wife, a teacher, helped him with the maths and dictation tests to get in. In 1990 he joined and said he has never regretted his decision. “It’s a fantastic career that’s challenging and no two days are the same,” he said.
He said the job has totally changed over the course of the last 26 years. “Smoke alarms were largely unheard of: We had lots of fires because people weren’t educated. It’s a totally different service than it was back then. Fires are not nearly as prolific as they used to be.”
But the spirit of the service and the people who surrounded him have remained largely the same: “I just feel proud to have served this community and it’s rare that you get to spend your career at the same station. I’m proud of my colleagues too, a lot of whom have nearly been here as long as me.”
Memorable moments
Mr Humphries’ most memorable moment was a run-in with a Canadian goose on the loose:
“Rolf Harris was there with the rest of the Animal Hospital team. We had to usher the goose away from the cameras so we could man-handle it without being criticised. Finally we caught it and the RSPCA came and picked it up.
“We’re not just a fire service but a humanitarian service too,” Mr Humphries adds. He remembers coaxing out a litter of kittens from under the floorboards in a mansion on Cassland Road.
The owners had tried with cat food but to no avail. Mr Humphries and his team came to the rescue. “We had to chop up all the floorboards — and sure enough we got them all out in the end,” he said.
From using typewriters to having computers on all their fire engines Mr Humphries has experienced a lot of change. He remains very positive about the future of the fire service.
“No matter how much interference the government has, it’s the people who work here that make it and that will never change,” he said.
The London Fire Brigade tweeted about Mr Humphries’ retirement and messages from well-wishers posted comments below.
Future plans
#Homerton firefighter Paul Humphries (back row 3rd from left) retired after 30 year service. Thanks Paul pic.twitter.com/mW76TMMjCs
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) February 29, 2016
His next job is to “relax and enjoy” his retirement in Woodford, where he grew up.
He says he’ll keep in touch with his colleagues who are “friends for life” and looks forward to seeing his son following in his footsteps.
Featured image credit: Paul Humphries
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