Fire service and museum to hold summer open day

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is to hold its summer open day this weekend.

SFRS described the day, which raises funds for the Fire Fighters Charity, as a "great opportunity" to learn about firefighters' work, watch live demonstrations, meet crews and see the engines.

There will also be a chance to visit Surrey Fire Museum, which houses a large collection of firefighting artefacts from across the centuries.

The museum is managed and run by The Fire Brigades of Surrey Preservation Trust, a charity established in the 1980s to preserve the history of the service in the county.

Residents are being invited to attend the free event at Surrey County Council's Reigate headquarters on Saturday, whether they are "keen to get involved, discover more about our service or simply enjoy a good day out".

Items on display range from pumps, uniforms and equipment to photographs and medals, including the long service award of George Windibank, 2nd engineer in the Farnham Volunteer Fire Brigade.

A quill pen maker to Queen Victoria, Windibank began volunteering with the service in 1867 and was still serving by the end of 1907.

The museum also features a 2002 commendation from the chief fire officer to the team at Lingfield Fire Station after they rescued the occupants of a car which had become trapped when the River Eden burst its banks.

On 14 August Lingfield Fire Station reopened following a two-year revamp.

The refurbishment project, which began in the summer of 2024, saw Lingfield's crew and vehicles relocated to Oxted in the interim.

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