Veteran firefighter retires from Dovercourt Fire Station

Terry Page, 72, of Dovercourt, has worked in both Essex and London serving the community and making sure residents are safe.

He spent the last five years of his career at Dovercourt Fire Station and has looked back fondly on his career.

Terry said: “When I decided to become a firefighter and it just happened by chance.

"The firefighters were on strike in 1977 and I saw some recruitment adverts and decided to give it a go.”

Although he has lived in Dovercourt since he was ten, Terry worked for the London Fire Brigade for the majority of his career before joining Dovercourt Fire Station in 2017.

During his time in London, Terry covered harrowing incidents including an arson attack that killed seven people from three generations of the same family.

Terry added: “I went to the incident as a senior officer, not a firefighter, and the incident was not over but it was dealt with by initial crews on the scene.

Team - Terry with the crew at Dovercourt Fire Station. (Image: Newsquest)

“It was a jealous boyfriend who committed the heinous act, he pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey.

“There was just an extreme shock that seven people died. I had to put it in the back of my mind.”

Terry retired on two other occasions. In 2003 he took early retirement, but this only lasted a short period as he took up the post of Chief Fire and Ambulance Officer at the Port of Felixstowe until 2014 when he retired again.

He was once again inspired by the profession he has loved since 1978 and took up a role as an on-call firefighter in 2017.

During his time working in Essex, Terry recalls incidents on the A120 as well as the Hanover Inn fire in Harwich as some of his most poignant jobs.

Terry said: “Dovercourt is fairly quiet apart from this year.

"I’m kind of the grandad of the station and I try to help as much as a can.

“For younger firefighters, I’d say keep on learning as the role is constantly evolving.”