One of Britain’s longest-serving firefighters has hung up his helmet after more than 45 years of service.
Malcolm McCarthy joined the London Fire Brigade aged 21 in 1979.
The former toolmaker made the career switch after he wrote a letter to station bosses that simply read: “I’d like to be a fireman.”
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Within weeks, he’d passed his tests at Southwark and joined the service.
He began his career as a firefighter at Finchley’s satellite centre and then moved to Heston as part of the Blue Watch.
He went on to do stints at fire stations in Ealing, Harrow, Stanmore and Paddington.
When he began, he wore cork helmets, yellow plastic leggings and no gloves, as reported by What’s The Jam.
He has attended some historic incidents, including the Brink’s-Mat bullion heist in 1983, the King’s Cross station fire in 1987 and the Sussex Arms bombing in 1992.
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He said: “I’m so grateful I managed to get into the London Fire Brigade.
“It’s given me all the excitement I need and a good living.
“You learn early on that you can’t save everybody, but as long as you’ve tried your hardest, you can walk away with your head held high.
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“In their hour of need, people call us.
“It’s a very noble thing to do, and I’ve enjoyed my time so much.
“I would recommend it to anybody.”
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “This week we say a heartfelt goodbye to Malcolm McCarthy, one of our longest-serving firefighters, who retires after an incredible nearly 46 years with the London Fire Brigade.
“Malcolm joined the Brigade at 21 in 1979, training at Finchley’s satellite centre before moving to Heston Blue Watch, then known as D27 Heston.
“At the time, the station had five appliances, including a Pump Escape, Turntable Ladder, Emergency Tender, Pump and Foam Tender, with nearly 30 firefighters on the Watch.
“His highlight was riding the Emergency Tender, the equivalent of today’s Fire Rescue Unit.
“His career spanned multiple stations, including Heston, Ealing, Soho, Harrow and Stanmore, with a brief stint acting-up at Paddington.
“Across four and a half decades, he’s witnessed huge changes from cork helmets, yellow plastic leggings and no gloves to today’s PPE.
“And from traditional, manual appliances to more modern vehicles, attending horrific road traffic incidents with no airbags and unworn seatbelts to the safer, more robust car construction we see today.
“He labels himself the relief king, having frequently attended as relief for major incidents such as the Brink’s-Mat bullion heist in 1983, the King’s Cross fire in 1987, and the Sussex Arms bombing in 1992.
“As he heads into retirement, he’s looking forward to more time on his motorbike, but with strictly no golf and no fishing.
“We thank Malcolm for his brilliant nearly 46 years of service and wish him all the best in his retirement.”
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