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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => General Interest => Topic started by: John Webb on August 17, 2012, 10:37:31 AM

Title: Summerland Fire 1973 - BBC Radio 4 programme
Post by: John Webb on August 17, 2012, 10:37:31 AM

The BBC is to broadcast a short programme on MONDAY 27th AUGUST, at 11am, about the Summerland leisure centre fire in August 1973. The programme includes interviews with survivors, and concludes with, I am told, a few minutes discussion with myself regarding the fire investigation and related matters. (I was the junior member of the Fire Research Station's team that went to investigate the fire.)

Title: Re: Summerland Fire 1973 - BBC Radio 4 programme
Post by: SamFIRT on August 27, 2012, 12:04:37 PM

Just finished listening to it……Very interesting.

Although the actual fire development and origin was skimmed over, I found the human behaviour issues very interesting especially with the emphasis on collective guilt and the Irish lady’s reoccurring nightmares.
It brought back lots of images in my head as well.

It was also a bit life on Mars'y remembering how fire safety and fire fighting was then.  :'(

Title: Re: Summerland Fire 1973 - BBC Radio 4 programme
Post by: John Webb on August 27, 2012, 06:59:35 PM

I thought they got the gist of it quite well for a 30 minute programme. I was interviewed for an hour or more by the producer and they used exactly 60 seconds of that!

Title: Re: Summerland Fire 1973 - BBC Radio 4 programme
Post by: Tom W on August 28, 2012, 09:09:58 AM

If anyone wants to listen to it you have 6 days left

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01m5dwd

Title: Re: Summerland Fire 1973 - BBC Radio 4 programme
Post by: Tom Sutton on August 28, 2012, 02:47:28 PM

For some serious research check out http://www.gees2.bham.ac.uk/staff/phillipsid.shtml the second item.

Title: Re: Summerland Fire 1973 - BBC Radio 4 programme
Post by: John Webb on August 28, 2012, 05:49:19 PM

I've had a lot of correspondance with Dr Phillips - the second version of his write up on Summerland is quite a 'tour-de-force'. Be nice if someone could publish it!

Title: Re: Summerland Fire 1973 - BBC Radio 4 programme
Post by: AnthonyB on August 28, 2012, 08:31:16 PM

I agree. Whilst publishing to print is notoriously difficult & expensive there are other options thanks to technology:

https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/signin