Steve Dudeney receives Letter of Recognition.

Steve Dudeney (Right) receives a Deputy Assistant Commissioners Letter of Recognition.

On Wednesday 25 July 2018 Liveryman Steve Dudeney retired from the London Fire Brigade after completing over 31 years service.

He started his career in 1987 serving initially at Bethnal Green and then at other postings throughout east London. Rising through the ranks to become a Group Manager (Divisional Officer in old money) he was responsible for the operational efficiency and fire safety issues for a number of fire stations in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. He also formed part of a Special Operations Group set up to manage and protect the London Olympics in 2012

Over his career he has attended many complex incidents and like many others found himself working at the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017. In his last week of service he found himself at Wanstead Flats near Stratford dealing with a major grass and heathland fire which required the attendance of over 40 fire engines and some 200 fire-fighters. He has seen many changes over the years.

In July this year he received a Deputy Assistant Commissioners Letter of Recognition in relation to his actions at a fire in Romford on 29 May 2018. Whilst accompanying a colleague into a building, and ascending to the floors above, the staircase they were using collapsed. His colleague fell through the stair towards live and arcing electrical equipment below and was in considerable danger. Steve Dudeney immediately grabbed out and pulled him to safety.

The Deputy Assistant Commissioner stated in his letter to Steve :  

“Your quick thinking and brave actions at the incident, saving a colleague from danger, are to be recognised and commended. You are a credit to the London Fire Brigade”

Steve joined the Worshipful Company of Firefighters in 2012, and in 2104 became both a Freeman of the City of London and was clothed as a Liveryman of our Company..  

We all wish him a long, happy and healthy retirement, feeling sure that Joanne will enjoy having him around a bit more and not being woken at night by the sound of his dispatching pager!