The station officer at Stanmore Fire Station has retired from his post after decades of service with the London Fire Brigade (LFB).
Ruislip resident Paul O’Shea first joined the service in 1997. Over his 26 year career he has worked in a number of locations across Harrow, acting most recently as station officer in Stanmore for the last five years.
As a parting gift, Paul honoured the age-old tradition of exiting station officer’s to treat their watch by arranging a weekend trip with the team to Benidorm.
He told Stanmore News: “You spend so much time with your team they end up becoming a sort of second family. The trip was my way of saying thank you to them all. I will certainly be keeping in touch!”
On October 24, on a very “very emotional” final roll call, Paul was celebrated and thanked by the LFB.
A spokesperson for the LFB Harrow said: “We said farewell to Station Officer Paul O’Shea of Stanmore Blue Watch after 26 years’ service. He will be sorely missed, by his watch and all within the Borough, an excellent officer, and thoroughly good bloke. Have a long, healthy, and happy retirement Paul.”
Speaking a week after hanging up his hose, the reality of retirement still hasn’t quite sunk in yet for 57-year-old Paul.
The veteran fireman did, however, express his delight to see the back of 48-hour weeks and long night shifts, and is excited to be able to spend more time with his family, devote some energy and money into the maintenance of his classic car, and just “enjoy life”.
Photo credit: LFB Harrow
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