WEBLINKS
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 |  | Report by Scott from Nicholas Chamberlaine Comprehensive School in Bedworth.
As firefighters prepared to strike I was privileged enough to spend a jam-packed day with the busy fire crew at Coventry Airport.
With a two and a half minute response time, the well-oiled crew certainly play an incredibly vital role in airport life.
I feel that people don't quite understand how important an airport fire crew are and that is why I have written an account of the day to help others appreciate what goes on behind the scenes.
On an overcast morning, I arrived at the airport bubbling with enthusiasm, excited about what lay ahead.
I kept questioning whether the day would be like an episode of London's Burning, but I was soon to find out. Mr Andy Fraser, senior airport fire officer, greeted me warmly and happily briefed me on the day's layout.
I had been assigned the company of Greenwatch, commanded by ex-RAF expert leading firefighter Dave Yates. Spirits were high as they readied themselves for a morning of first aid training entitled `Wounds, Bleeding and Shocks'. I was delighted with the prospect of learning incredibly useful life skills.
Μύ| Μύ |  | The runway at Coventry Airport
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Coventry Airport is privileged to have such a wealth of medical knowledge on their fire team, with three members hosting the Emergency Medical Technician status, which puts them on the same level as ambulance crew.
I was later taken to the firefighting heart, the station, with the sense of pride with learning things that others never get the chance to learn.
In fact, the first aid was only part of the firefighters' rigorous training program that is conducted everyday, much to the delight of the officers!
Μύ| Μύ |  | A seagull; one of the birds that has to be scared away from airports
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From the distance I could hear the faint squawk of birds from the runway, it was at this time in the proceedings when talk began of operation 'bird scaring'.
Huh? Were my ears failing me? No they certainly were not!
Bird scaring had just become part of the daily tasks for a temporary time, sadly the reason for this is regular `scarer' had passed away just days before, much to the dismay of the others at the airport.
The job involves blasting out various birds distress calls over a large amplifier strapped to the top of a jeep. This is an incredibly vital task for the airport to remain safe, a bird in the engine can be a messy, not to mention disastrous, happening.
I clambered into the passenger side of the red jeep, I cast an eye to the right and saw a selection of cassettes. Intrigued, I asked whom they featured.
The answer was subtle to avoid embarrassment, I was passed the selection of tapes only to burst out in a fit of laughter.
On the spines of each were the names of a range of common birds, from the rook to the seagull.
ΜύReturning to the station, knowing that the runways were free of our feathered friends, I knew my day was reaching its end. During a tour of the station I asked if anyone had any 'war stories'.
Immediately, firefighter Sam Greasley told me how he had rescued a two-meter long dragon from a house.
To make sure the day ended with a bang, Dave Yates told me all about his rescue of a consignment of pineapple cubes!
Feeling fulfilled, I headed home learning some real-life skills and experienced a day that I will never forget.
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