Easy Targets
For many years now it has been becoming more apparent to me that respect for the fire service has been dwindling. Assaults on firemen went up from 1,300 in 2006 to 1,500 in 2007 (source FBU) whilst the government tried to claim that the figure had dropped by 400 within that same period. There has also an increase in adults making hoax phone calls. This highlights how there is still a portion of the general public which links the Fire Service to positions of authority and control forgetting that they are in fact only putting them selves out to save others. Fire chiefs in the South Wales Brigade have stated that the amount is near 1,000 a year with each call out costing around £650 and potentially an untold amount of lives.
This has to stop!
I have spent the past 3 months living my life on call with the Green watch of Caerphilly fire station in order to create a series of 18 images looking into their curious work lives.
It has been my intention through this project to illustrate the extents to which those who are little recognized are working tirelessly in an effort to keep the general public out of harms way.
The portraits within this series have stripped away all of the bravado that goes with being a firefighter to leave behind a more personal insight to there personality’s, whilst the series as a whole underlines the humility and heroism of the crew.
Friendships are made whilst lives are lost, with no time to stand still or take stock.
For many years now it has been becoming more apparent to me that respect for the fire service has been dwindling. Assaults on firemen went up from 1,300 in 2006 to 1,500 in 2007 (source FBU) whilst the government tried to claim that the figure had dropped by 400 within that same period. There has also an increase in adults making hoax phone calls. This highlights how there is still a portion of the general public which links the Fire Service to positions of authority and control forgetting that they are in fact only putting them selves out to save others. Fire chiefs in the South Wales Brigade have stated that the amount is near 1,000 a year with each call out costing around £650 and potentially an untold amount of lives.
This has to stop!
I have spent the past 3 months living my life on call with the Green watch of Caerphilly fire station in order to create a series of 18 images looking into their curious work lives.
It has been my intention through this project to illustrate the extents to which those who are little recognized are working tirelessly in an effort to keep the general public out of harms way.
The portraits within this series have stripped away all of the bravado that goes with being a firefighter to leave behind a more personal insight to there personality’s, whilst the series as a whole underlines the humility and heroism of the crew.
Friendships are made whilst lives are lost, with no time to stand still or take stock.
1 comment:
hey hey ollie
WOOOO images!!!
I like the perspective you are taking in this project. Its too easy to show the heroism, its a part of day to day life for the crew. But to find a way to show the relationships this crew has forged together is a whole new form of heroism. Hope it goes well!!
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