AS YOU join your loved ones to enjoy Christmas and the New Year this winter, spare a thought for the crews at Weymouth fire station.

For them these will be normal working days – on duty and ready to respond to emergency calls as they arise.

All 28 of the station’s full time crew as well as the borough’s 23 retained crewmen will be sacrificing family time at some point over the festive season to be on duty or on call.

Firefighter Dave Edmondson, who has been working at the Weymouth station for three years, said: “Luckily I’ve never had to deal with a tragedy over Christmas.

“People always say that it’s the tragedies that stay with you.

“A few years ago I was working in Poole over Christmas when a motorcyclist had an accident that split the oil sump on his bike and we were called out to help clear it up while the road was closed.

“I remember one year in Weymouth I was on a crew that had to respond to a call after a woman overcooked a Christmas pudding in a microwave and it caught fire.

“Working over Christmas is very much like working at any other time of the year and there’s a good camaraderie in the station.”

From 9am to 6pm on Christmas Day, Weymouth fire station’s Red Watch will be on call while from 6pm Christmas Day to 9am Boxing Day the Green Watch will be on duty.

Both crews have five fire fighters on duty.

Fire watch manager Karen Adams said: “On bank holidays we go on to minimum crewing with five firefighters on every appliance.

“We provide the same level of service as on any other day.

“Years ago stations used to invite the fire fighters’ families in on Christmas Day but these days families tend to stay away and it’s much more of a normal working day.

“We will respond to emergency calls and deal with community safety matters that may arise.

“In the past this has included people having problems with their smoke detectors.

“We also have around 12 members of our retained crew on call as normal but hopefully they will be able to spend Christmas at home.

“There tends to be a good, genial atmosphere in the station and firefighters tend to be in a good mood.

“In most respects, Christmas tends to be very much like a normal working day and we can deal with property fires caused by cooking or electrical fires.

“We will also do our normal vehicle and equipment checks.

“More people tend to be in their homes at this time of year and people are generally more aware of fire safety.

“I wouldn’t say it’s any easier or quieter over Christmas and it’s just a matter of dealing with whatever situations come in.

“There’s always uncertainty as to what you may have to deal with.

“Over the Christmas and New Year period all 28 of our fire fighters will be on duty at some point and all of our 23 retained fire fighters will be on call at some point.

“Our drivers are very experienced and always drive more cautiously on icy roads during the winter months.”