- How did you come up with the idea for the Phil the Fire Engine books?
I created Phil the Fire Engine in the 1980s after attending a house fire started by a three-year-old boy that killed his 18-month-old sister. At the time my son was only six months and there was nothing in place to educate children about fire safety and the role of the fire service. I wanted to change that, so started writing the stories, which I kept in my locker at work.
- How did the stories come to be published?
After retiring from the fire service in 1999 someone read my stories and suggested I get them published. Phil the Fire Engine and.....the Barn Fire, House Fire and Bonfire Night were published and continue to be used in schools, children's wards and burns units around the UK.
- What work have you done in schools to promote fire safety?
In 1995 I launched a programme which involved four fire-fighters visiting primary schools to talk to fourand five-year-olds, using the stories as a talking point. As a result, the number of false calls made and small fires in the area fell by half.
The Phil the Fire Engine books cost £4.95 each and are available from http://philthefireengine.com/page5.html
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