'I joined the fire service after witnessing the Hillsborough disaster - now I'm retiring with pride'

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Guy Williams retired on August 31 after 30 years of service.

Guy, who first joined the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2003, began his career in 1995 at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service after spending four years applying all over the country.

He wanted to become a firefighter after witnessing the 1989 tragedy in Sheffield at an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in which 97 people died and 766 were injured.

He said: “I always wanted to do something community-based, which goes back to being a young lad at Hillsborough. I just wanted to make some sort of positive contribution, so it motivated me to get involved.”

Guy spent eight years with White Watch in Stafford where he attended countless incidents on the M6 motorway and attended some 14 calls a day.

In 2003 Guy joined Shropshire's fire brigade as a firefighter in Telford and worked his way up the ranks to his current role.

During his time in Shropshire he has been sent out to some of the largest fires in the county including the 2013 blaze at Grinshill Wood. More than 60 firefighters attended the fire which potentially could have wiped out an entire village of properties. The area was saved thanks to the hard work of crews.

“Things were very different then," said Guy. "It wasn’t like the command support you have now. It was me and another officer with about ten radios and clipboards planning how to stop this fire.

"Most of the properties there then had private oil and gas supplies so it could have been a real disaster. It took about a week for us to put it out, but we got there in the end.”

Over the years Guy has experienced the most serious incidents but also recalled some of the lighter sides of the job.

“I remember my very first breathing apparatus (BA) wear. It is drilled into you at training that you never leave your BA partner and we were going into this house fire and next second my partner is just gone.

"Well, turns out he’s made a beeline for the door and fallen straight into an indoor swimming pool - full fire kit and breathing apparatus set on his back. Of course I was there to help him but the next day we all did the parade in full flippers.”

Guy added that being a firefighter was not about receiving praise.

He said: “What I like about the job is the common purpose. Whether you’re at incidents or out in the community, it's not about you. It's about doing the right thing, not looking for praise.

"It is a privilege. When someone gives you a look and just recognises that you’ve helped them or you’re doing your best to make what is probably their worst moment a little bit better or just not quite as - that’s what it’s about.

“It's real honour to be trusted - as someone these people don’t know - to go into their house with their most valuable possessions. They trust you to do your job, they trust their child to you in the back of the car or their beloved pets. You know to have the honour to be trusted in their most vulnerable moments is everything.

“It would be remiss of me to say that in between those times you do have an outrageous laugh together – the humour and the bonding – it is a very special thing to be a part of. We’re professionals but I really value the friendships I’ve made over the years.

“I’m going to miss the energy and miss the conversations. I have always enjoyed talking to people and have tried to keep that no mater what rank I am.”

Over the years Guy has seen considerable change in the service.

“When I joined we didn’t have the internet, we had maybe one computer lurking around.

"There wasn’t the dozens of emails sent a day. You just had to talk to people. We didn’t have any of the technology we have now, even the sat nav. Back then you just had someone trying to use the map to navigate you, usually at around 70mph.

"There’s a lot of more safety measures in place now but we still wear our BA and we still pump water so that much hasn’t changed.”

Guy will mainly be spending his retirement with his wife and son.

“I’ll be putting time back into my family. The job has been demanding over the years and I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family.

"Don’t worry - I won’t be bored though as I know my wife will have a good list of jobs for me!"