They are the yellow-helmeted heroes who give up their Christmas Day to help others in need.
The county’s firefighters could find themselves called to anything from a multi-car pile-up on the M40, a house fire, flooding or a call-out to the hospital to cut a ring from someone’s finger.
But what’s it like to work a shift in one of Oxfordshire’s fire stations on December 25?
The members of White Watch eat Christmas dinner at Slade Park fire station on Christmas Day, 2021
By 4pm, Crew Manager Paul Sellers and his three firefighters on White Watch at Slade Park fire station, Oxford, had been called to deal with a charred turkey left too long in the oven, a hazardous materials call where there was a strong smell of bleach in the home and to help carers concerned about an elderly resident to break into their home. One member of the watch was absent, having been called at the start of the shift to make up numbers at Burford fire station.
Contrary to what you might expect, Christmas Day can be relatively quiet. “It’s a bit like Bonfire Night, I think, because people are more aware [of the dangers], they’re a bit more careful. With coronavirus people are spending more time at home; they’re not leaving ovens or candles unattended.”
Slade Park fire station, Oxford
The four-strong crew made themselves a traditional lunch, with Firefighter Morgan taking on the kitchen duties. But it was beef – not turkey – on the menu, as it’s quicker to cook. For a fire station, that’s important as the cooking is often interrupted by call-outs to emergencies.
For the crew, there’s a sacrifice to working the Christmas shift. “We’ve all got children,” said CM Sellers, 40, who has been a firefighter for almost two decades.
Crew Manager Paul Sellers of Slade Park fire station on Christmas Day
The dad of two said: “We did Christmas on Christmas Eve and then had a stocking opening this morning with presents from Father Christmas. One of the lads spoke to the grotto ‘elf’ to ask if Father Christmas could deliver his children’s presents on Christmas Eve.
"We play the game.”
For advice on keeping yourself safe at Christmas, visit: www.365alive.co.uk/cms/content/christmas-cheers-not-tears.
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