London Fire Brigade has offered Kate Winslet the opportunity to train with firefighters after her daring rescue of Richard Branson’s 90-year-old mother, Eve, from a fire on his multi-million pound luxury holiday island.
The Brigade says it has over 300 women firefighters, and has invited the actress to learn how crews deal with fires and also how people can prevent fires from happening in the first place.
A source at the Brigade said that on the proposed visit, Kate would visit the Brigade’s training centre, meet trainees and experience the role of a modern day firefighter. This would include operational duties such as trying out firefighter breathing apparatus and climbing a ladder pitched against a tower block.
The source said she would also be made aware of the community safety activities that firefighting staff regularly carry out.
The Fire Brigade says that being prepared for a fire gives people a much better chance of survival. The three key steps are to:
• have a working smoke alarm
• have an escape route planned for the event of a fire
• understand that if a fire starts, to get out, stay out and call 999.
Dany Cotton, the Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, and the highest operational woman firefighter in the country, said, “Kate has shown true bravery and we would love her to visit the London Fire Brigade and see the work that real firefighters do at first hand. We’d remind Kate that having a working smoke alarm and an escape plan are extremely important in cutting the risk of dying or being injured in a fire. Kate has shown that women can carry out rescues just as well as men.”
She added, “I hope her actions will encourage more women to think about becoming a firefighter.”
Article source: British Safety Council.
