Sherston Grove Fire Station
| Sherston Grove Fire Station
Tapton [40, 75]
Basic Info:
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Sherston Grove Fire Station
Description
Before the Outbreak, Sherston Grove Fire Station was home to Ladder 22, a three apparatus station servicing all of west Tapton. Sherston Grove is the most senior of the firehouses in Tapton (see its history) and consequently the largest, built first in 1912 just prior to the Great Fire and expanded in later years to support the burgeoning growth of Malton. The three engines are Seagrave Commander IIs, and were each fully equipped with an emergency medical team as well as the standard engine company. Sherston Grove is also home to central Malton's Mass Casualty Unit (MCU). The MCU consists of a large truck and trailer, with a post-radioactive-exposure shower, a collapsible triage tent, and large amounts of medical supplies. The MCU is housed in an external enclosure outside of the firehouse proper. It is not known why the MCU was not deployed during the Outbreak (it is possible that Ladder 22 was wiped out fighting the storm of fires that cut through Tapton during the initial stages of infection). The Fire Station is now occupied and slowly being repaired by volunteers of the Malton Fire Department. A small memorial has been assembled in the main hall of the house, detailing the great sacrifice of Ladder 22 during the Outbreak.
History
Ground was first broken for the Sherston Grove Fire Station on March 12th, 1922. Public outcry for a local fire station originated following the structure fire that destroyed the Cullingford Train Station in 1920. Councilman Brian Vaughan publicly championed the plan for a state of the art firehouse to serve the poorer Irish immigrants in west Tapton. Many credit his success in funding and planning the firehouse to his connections in City Hall. Vaughan would later visit the firehouse to break ground for its expansion in the '40s (he appeared in his capacity as Mayor of Malton).
Initially only a single engine firehouse, Sherston Grove was expanded in 1948 to allow for a second apparatus and again in 1970 to allow room for a third. Ladder 22 served the entire western half of Tapton capably but without much note until the night of March 14th, 1956. Only two days after celebrating the 34th anniversary of its founding, Ladder 22 lost six firemen battling the three alarm fire that was to ultimately demolish the Stoate Garment Factory. Among those dead was Station Chief Daniel Merewether, descendent of one of the great families of Tapton and whom the Merewether Park is named after. The following anecdote is drawn from Ladder 22's official history:
Station Chief Merewether led the second response team into the blaze, coordinating the Department's resources through the emergency phone off Clelford Square. Upon the collapse of the sewing wing of the Garment Factory, Merewether designated Captain Charles Ward the authority on scene. When Captain Ward tried to persuade Station Chief Merewether to remain behind the fire line, Merewether replied, "Get your damn hands off me, Chuck- there's children in there." Merewether emerged from the structure twice, leading groups of garment workers to safety, before entering the building a third time. His shield was later recovered by Charles Ward and can now be found in the main hall of the Sherston Grove Station.
More recently (and excluding the fires in 1993), the more modern Whittaker, Morrhall, and Priestly Stations fought the majority of structure fires in Malton. This was to change following the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, when the City Council of Malton designated Sherston Grove to be the sight of the Mass Casualty Unit (MCU), to be activated in case of terrorist attack or major disaster.
During the Outbreak, many of Ladder 22's firefighters were killed in the flashfires that resulted from panic and disorganization throughout Malton. To this day no one knows why the MCU was not activated during the Outbreak and why it remains undeployed today. The remainder of Ladder 22's initial engine companies have either been totally scattered throughout Malton or are now infected. The firehouse itself was totally unaffected by the violence and looting, and still houses one Seagrave Commander II. The Malton Fire Department's recovery efforts have led to the recent restocking of the Station and Tapton will soon hopefully see a new Ladder 22.
Barricade Policy
The Barricade Policy for Sherston Grove (in regards to Tapton's elevated zombie status) is: Very Strongly Barricaded unless in the event of an attack, which then requires a raising of the barricades to Extremely Heavily Barricaded.
Current Status
May 21
VSB and powered. No zeds in sight.--Kierson 05:11, 22 May 2008 (BST)
