"Representing ESFRS riding the FireBike was beyond my wildest dreams, especially when I looked at the other people competing for the ride. I passed my test in 1999, so was a late starter but now wish that I passed it years ago, although I used to ride bikes in my younger days before they changed the rules and stopped us youngsters riding 250 cc bikes. I wonder why!
I've now been given the opportunity to go out and meet other motorcycle enthusiasts to discuss road safety initiatives both within East Sussex and neighbouring counties. I believe this initiative will greatly reduce the number of unnecessary motorcycle accidents resulting in serious injury and fatality which has a traumatic effect on all of us. I have also witnessed first hand, as well as attended, incidents involving motorcycles.
We have visited various events since we started and the comments we have received have been very positive.
The one question which a lot of people ask is, "Do we use the bike to go to incidents on blue lights?" The answer is No! It is solely used for educational purposes to interact with other motorcyclists and to promote BikeSafe, which is run by our colleagues in Sussex Police Service."
Clive joined Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service in March 1990 serving on both Blue Watch and White Watch at Kempston Fire Station. He transferred to ESFRS in June 2002 posted to Battle Fire Station. In addition to his normal role as an operational firefighter, he is a member of Battle's rope rescue team. One benefit is abseiling for free. He is also trained in trench and building collapse incidents.
He holds the specialist role of swift water rescue instructor and spent three days attached to Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service during the floods in July 2007 on the River Thames at Marlow.
Clive is a member of RoSPA Advanced Drivers Association through ESFRS having passed the Association's advanced driving test for fire appliance drivers achieving a Gold grade.
In April 2007, Clive, along with fellow FireBike rider Jon Baker, undertook training on the ACU LASU Mini-Bike Instructors course, passing the final exam to qualify in the role of Clerk of the Course and Instructor to run licenced Mini-Bike events under the ACU LASU banner.
Clive's own bike is a 1999 Yamaha FZS 600 Fazer which is still going strong after covering in excess of 45,000 miles.
Dave Thurston - Watch Commander, Hastings Fire Station
On the subject of the ESFRS FireBike initiative, Dave said the following:
"When I heard that I had been selected to ride the new Fireblade, I was like a dog with two tails, or a bloke with two bikes! As a road traffic collision instructor, I am always giving advice to Fire Service trainees, but to actually be a part of road safety accident reduction is fantastic. As a keen biker I was shocked to hear that 98% of fatalities were sports bike riders, most in the 35-45 age group.
I am always concerned about road safety, and the BikeSafe courses and other meetings we attend can only help. After attending one of the BikeSafe courses myself I noticed that my own riding had improved, especially in areas like hazard perception and cornering.
East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service are the first in the country to use a dedicated sports bike to promote road safety but I also use the opportunity to promote fire safety to audiences around the county as well. While on operational duty as a firefighter, I am always reacting and responding to serious road crash incidents so it is nice to be proactive for a change."
Dave joined East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service ten years ago after leaving the army. On completion of his recruits course, he was initially posted to Battle Fire Station. He later transferred to the Ridge Fire Station in Hastings.
He was promoted and commenced duties at Service Training Centre as a recruit instructor. He qualified as a Road Traffic Collision instructor eventually becoming STC's Senior Breathing Apparatus instructor.
Dave currently serves as Watch Commander of Red Watch, Hastings Fire Station.
Dave has always had an interest in motorcycles and first started riding motocross as a boy. He has been riding superbikes for the past six years and owns a Honda VFR800 and a Yamaha Fazer 1000.
Dave partakes in the odd trackday and particularly enjoyed one at Cadwell Park which he attended last year with his fellow FireBike rider Jon Baker. He also likes to get in a couple of days of motocross from time to time and normally goes with a group of ten or more just for fun.
Jon Baker - Crew Commander, Battle Fire Station
Concerning the ESFRS FireBike initiative, Jon said the following:
"Being selected to ride the FireBike representing East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service was like a dream come true for me. I passed my test back in 1983 and have been riding large capacity performance motorcycles since the late 1980s, so riding bikes has always been a large part of my life.
My reference at Battle is Community Safety so I spend a lot of time speaking to various groups of people, from pre-school children to those in retirement, on the subject of Home Fire Safety. For the most part, I see my duties with the FireBike as an extension of this, albeit with a very different message delivered to a very different target audience.
I've enjoyed riding motorcycles for the last 27 years, both professionally and for recreation, and would like to continue doing so for as long as possible. I believe we are constantly learning and improving from first ride to last. Our aim, if you like, is to do our best in ensuring that this period is extended to the maximum for riders and does not come to an abrupt, bloody and premature end as is happening too often on our roads.
I believe that this initiative could have a very real impact on reducing motorcyclist fatalities in Sussex over the coming years, based on various events attended so far this year and excellent feedback received to date.
Oh, and it's not exactly a chore riding the 'Blade from event to event, either!"
Jon joined Hereford & Worcester Fire Brigade (as it was then) on 3 June 1991 serving on Red Watch, Redditch Fire Station until transferring to ESFRS in July 1996 posted to Battle Fire Station. He was promoted to Crew Commander at Battle in 1997 following secondment to Service Training Centre as Wholetime Recruit Instructor.
He underwent two periods of temporary promotion during 2004/5 serving as Watch Commander at Battle and subsequently at ESFRS Headquarters in the Research & Development department.
Jon returned to Battle in April 2005 to his substantive post as operational Crew Commander, where he still serves today. His particular reference at Battle is Community Safety.
In addition to his regular duties, he is a member of Battle Fire Station's rope rescue team and is also trained in trench and building collapse incidents. He is a qualified manual handling instructor for ESFRS and IOSH certified in Managing Safely.
Jon is a member of RoSPA Advanced Drivers Association through ESFRS, having passed the Association's Advanced Driving test for Fire Appliance drivers achieving a Gold grade.
During the years preceeding joining the Fire & Rescue Service, Jon worked as a motorcycle courier delivering same-day nationwide, regularly clocking-up 2000+ miles each week. The most interesting contract being the collection of video news reports from regional news teams on location and then delivering them to TV studios for broadcast that day. Meeting delivery deadlines was essential to ensuring TV broadcast of the news event. On many occasions, time was not exactly a plentiful commodity. No pressure, then!
He has also been employed as a DSA qualified part-time motorcycle instructor conducting CBT and Accompanied Test training.
Jon's own bike is a 1998 Yamaha YZF 1000 R1 which he bought over six years ago from the very motorcycle dealership which now sponsors the Police and Fire 'Blades -
