Hero firefighters

Having just read the letter from the firefighter who attended the grenfell Tower fire (Mail), we owe our thanks to all those who attended this tragic incident.

i served in the fire service for 30 years. The horrors of dealing with road accidents and the sadness of people who have had their lives ripped apart by fire mean the emotional strain of the job can be intense. But, as always, we deal with the next call with professionalism.

There are members of the public who still believe we spend most of our time hanging around the fire station playing snooker and darts.

For myself, the fire service was more of a vocation than a paid job. But as i reached retirement, decent wages and the ability to do my job with pride were being worn away by lack of investment and understanding by those whose priority was to save money.

i just wish that the government, after heaping political praise on the emergency services, back it up with action and give them a wage, pension and the equipment they deserve. LANCE NURDIN (retired firefighter)

Bromley, Kent.