Fire fighting

Sir,
Should we not now learn a lesson from the past? When I was racing at Brooklands some 40 years ago the management of the Track were justifiably proud of their Bentley fire engine, which was always kept ready, and could, furthermore, reach an outbreak of fire at any part of the Track within three minutes. [or was it 1 1/2 minutes?—Ed.]

On Sunday, October 24th, I was among those at Hawthorn Bend when we saw the tragic sight of some 25 of the world’s top-ranking drivers stand by their silent cars and watch their friend Jo Siffert completely consumed by fire in what remained of his car after the tragic crash during the Rothmans World Championship Race.

May I therefore ask your readers, as I have been asking myself, if they do not believe it should be possible to form an Association of Members willing to man Land-Rovers or similar suitable vehicles equipped with fire-fighting foam sprays which could be placed strategically round a course so that they could literally be in action within seconds in the unfortunate event of their being wanted? I should gladly give all the support I could to such a scheme.

Brian Pickford.
Tongham.