In todays news...

[Pirahna]

I don't mean to be dismissive of our fire fighters, but surely when you sign up it's in the full knowledge that you will need to attend to some pretty gruesome call outs.

Why then are they suing for compo for attending a fire?

BBC News - Grenfell: £20m compensation agreed for firefighters
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68166338

Are the LAS and coppers in on this one? If not they're missing out.

You could hurt someones feelings writing this sort of stuff leaving Weeksy open to compo claims.

[Mussels]

I don't mean to be dismissive of our fire fighters, but surely when you sign up it's in the full knowledge that you will need to attend to some pretty gruesome call outs.

Why then are they suing for compo for attending a fire?

BBC News - Grenfell: £20m compensation agreed for firefighters
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68166338

Are the LAS and coppers in on this one? If not they're missing out.

Paramedics are going to be quids in, Iccy is probably worth a few bob too.

[Yambo]

I don't mean to be dismissive of our fire fighters, but surely when you sign up it's in the full knowledge that you will need to attend to some pretty gruesome call outs.

Why then are they suing for compo for attending a fire?

BBC News - Grenfell: £20m compensation agreed for firefighters
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68166338

Are the LAS and coppers in on this one? If not they're missing out.

Late 1972 and early 1973 I and a few other soldiers were on our hands and knees in bomb destroyed pubs in Derry searching for bits and pieces. I did it twice and the second time I'm telling the first timers what I'd been told on my first grovel - "Just get on with it, if you need to puke, go outside then come back and get on with it."

It left an indelible mark on me and I'm sure all the other guys. When we asked why us we were simply told "Who else is going to do it?"

There had been nothing in our training for that sort of shit. The smell was awful, we got filthy from the charred remains and of course, any bits you found, jewellery, clothing, body parts had to be carefully logged on a chart so that they could go in the right box later. When pubs started getting firebombed a couple of years later it would have been worse I'm sure but I don't know who got volunteered then.

Doubt I'll get any compensation . . .

[Yorick]

10% of Brits come to our beautiful islands every year

https://www.travelon.world/en/blog/reco ... ry-islands

[MrLongbeard]

10% of Brits come to our beautiful islands every year

https://www.travelon.world/en/blog/reco ... ry-islands

The rest of us know you're there

[Yorick]

10% of Brits come to our beautiful islands every year

https://www.travelon.world/en/blog/reco ... ry-islands

The rest of us know you're there

Aww. I'm hurt now

[Yorick]

Wow. His current contract is allegedly £100m for years.

The red cars must have made big money offer

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/68169534

[Mr. Dazzle]

We were wondering at work if he already knows the 2024 Merc is a Lemon

Every F1 driver wants to drive for Ferrari right? Lewis is already the GOAT, so why not eh? I'd do it for free in his place

[Cousin Jack]

Lewis wants another F1 title, money doesn't matter, he will never manage to spend the pile he already has. He would probably pay to drive a car that will win reliably.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Lewis wants another F1 title, money doesn't matter, he will never manage to spend the pile he already has. He would probably pay to drive a car that will win reliably.

A sensible driver might forgo the £50m salary and get them to spend that on the car instead

[Pirahna]

I don't mean to be dismissive of our fire fighters, but surely when you sign up it's in the full knowledge that you will need to attend to some pretty gruesome call outs.

Why then are they suing for compo for attending a fire?

BBC News - Grenfell: £20m compensation agreed for firefighters
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68166338

Are the LAS and coppers in on this one? If not they're missing out.

Late 1972 and early 1973 I and a few other soldiers were on our hands and knees in bomb destroyed pubs in Derry searching for bits and pieces. I did it twice and the second time I'm telling the first timers what I'd been told on my first grovel - "Just get on with it, if you need to puke, go outside then come back and get on with it."

It left an indelible mark on me and I'm sure all the other guys. When we asked why us we were simply told "Who else is going to do it?"

There had been nothing in our training for that sort of shit. The smell was awful, we got filthy from the charred remains and of course, any bits you found, jewellery, clothing, body parts had to be carefully logged on a chart so that they could go in the right box later. When pubs started getting firebombed a couple of years later it would have been worse I'm sure but I don't know who got volunteered then.

Doubt I'll get any compensation . . .

The military is full of people doing things they didn't sign up for. A very good friend was an engines and airframes tech in the air force, his bit on the side was cleaning up after plane crashes. He was on duty for Lockerbie and again for Kegworth a couple of months later. Having dealt with a few hundred corpses in the space of two months he left.

Another mate was an RAF bandsman, Gulf war kicks off and they're all out there on the ground as battlefield medics. He has Gulf War Syndrome and has had some highly unusual cancers.

[Yorick]

I don't mean to be dismissive of our fire fighters, but surely when you sign up it's in the full knowledge that you will need to attend to some pretty gruesome call outs.

Why then are they suing for compo for attending a fire?

BBC News - Grenfell: £20m compensation agreed for firefighters
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68166338

Are the LAS and coppers in on this one? If not they're missing out.

Late 1972 and early 1973 I and a few other soldiers were on our hands and knees in bomb destroyed pubs in Derry searching for bits and pieces. I did it twice and the second time I'm telling the first timers what I'd been told on my first grovel - "Just get on with it, if you need to puke, go outside then come back and get on with it."

It left an indelible mark on me and I'm sure all the other guys. When we asked why us we were simply told "Who else is going to do it?"

There had been nothing in our training for that sort of shit. The smell was awful, we got filthy from the charred remains and of course, any bits you found, jewellery, clothing, body parts had to be carefully logged on a chart so that they could go in the right box later. When pubs started getting firebombed a couple of years later it would have been worse I'm sure but I don't know who got volunteered then.

Doubt I'll get any compensation . . .

The military is full of people doing things they didn't sign up for. A very good friend was an engines and airframes tech in the air force, his bit on the side was cleaning up after plane crashes. He was on duty for Lockerbie and again for Kegworth a couple of months later. Having dealt with a few hundred corpses in the space of two months he left.

Another mate was an RAF bandsman, Gulf war kicks off and they're all out there on the ground as battlefield medics. He has Gulf War Syndrome and has had some highly unusual cancers.

Hmm. Is there such a thing as just an RAF bandman?
Surely they're all paid and trained to fight?

[Pirahna]

Late 1972 and early 1973 I and a few other soldiers were on our hands and knees in bomb destroyed pubs in Derry searching for bits and pieces. I did it twice and the second time I'm telling the first timers what I'd been told on my first grovel - "Just get on with it, if you need to puke, go outside then come back and get on with it."

It left an indelible mark on me and I'm sure all the other guys. When we asked why us we were simply told "Who else is going to do it?"

There had been nothing in our training for that sort of shit. The smell was awful, we got filthy from the charred remains and of course, any bits you found, jewellery, clothing, body parts had to be carefully logged on a chart so that they could go in the right box later. When pubs started getting firebombed a couple of years later it would have been worse I'm sure but I don't know who got volunteered then.

Doubt I'll get any compensation . . .

The military is full of people doing things they didn't sign up for. A very good friend was an engines and airframes tech in the air force, his bit on the side was cleaning up after plane crashes. He was on duty for Lockerbie and again for Kegworth a couple of months later. Having dealt with a few hundred corpses in the space of two months he left.

Another mate was an RAF bandsman, Gulf war kicks off and they're all out there on the ground as battlefield medics. He has Gulf War Syndrome and has had some highly unusual cancers.

Hmm. Is there such a thing as just an RAF bandman?
Surely they're all paid and trained to fight?

The military isn't just front line combat troops, there's plenty of other roles as well.

[Yorick]

The military is full of people doing things they didn't sign up for. A very good friend was an engines and airframes tech in the air force, his bit on the side was cleaning up after plane crashes. He was on duty for Lockerbie and again for Kegworth a couple of months later. Having dealt with a few hundred corpses in the space of two months he left.

Another mate was an RAF bandsman, Gulf war kicks off and they're all out there on the ground as battlefield medics. He has Gulf War Syndrome and has had some highly unusual cancers.

Hmm. Is there such a thing as just an RAF bandman?
Surely they're all paid and trained to fight?

The military isn't just front line combat troops, there's plenty of other roles as well.

I didn't know that. My nephew is an officer in the navy on helicopters, in a team of submarine chasers.
I assumed he'd be in danger if war broke out.

[Mussels]

I think bandsmen are usually battlefield medics, not the safest job going.

[Saga Lout]

Hmm. Is there such a thing as just an RAF bandman?
Surely they're all paid and trained to fight?

I was in the RAF working on air radar systems, I wasn't trained to fight. We got to learn how to fire and take care of a Lee Enfield rifle (and I was a pretty good shot) but that's as close as we got to fight training. They might be paid to fight, but trained? No they're not trained.

[Yambo]

I think bandsmen are usually battlefield medics, not the safest job going.

Stretcher bearers, basically. All soldiers do first aid training but there are properly trained medics around - in what used to be the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC).

I don't know how they get shared out but I never had a medic attached to any unit I served in, not even 211 Sqn RCT - a TA ambulance squadron.

[Yambo]

The military is full of people doing things they didn't sign up for. A very good friend was an engines and airframes tech in the air force, his bit on the side was cleaning up after plane crashes. He was on duty for Lockerbie and again for Kegworth a couple of months later. Having dealt with a few hundred corpses in the space of two months he left.

And nobody sees it as a problem.

An old friend of mine got commissioned at the end of his 22 and ended up as PSAO* of a TA Regt in Liverpool. He was a great guy, the youngest RSM in the RCT and later on, a Master Driver as I was. He was a genuinely good soldier and in no way a bullshitter. It always amazed him that his career had been so stellar.

As a Captain, he was seen as a safe pair of hands for knocking on peoples' doors and telling them their son/daughter had been killed or seriously injured in Iraq, Afghanistan or anywhere else. Eventually it got to him and he had to retire. He,s on medication, has regular therapy sessions and goes to Crete a few times a year - to his 'safe place'. The diagnosis is the ubiquitous PTSD.

I doubt he'll get better. He has an open invitation to come to mine but I doubt he will, he can't do new places. It makes me sad and angry.

[Count Steer]

Going back to the original issue. The Grenfell firefighters were thrown under the bus as a result of a comprehensive string of failings by, government, local authorities and their own management. If, individually, they suffered injury, trauma whatever as a result of that then I don't see why compensation isn't justified.

[Mr. Dazzle]

There may also be a lack of 'aftercare' so to speak, I don't know. So it's true that you might expect to be dealing with 'nasty' situations, but since that's so obvious it should also be obvious that The Management need to have a support system in place to help people out afterwards.

Is there? I don't know! Just saying.