Tributes paid to former Eastbourne fire chief

Ken Gould is pictured (left) receiving his Long Service Good Conduct Medal from Archie Winning CBE, former Chief Fire Officer of East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service

Warm tributes have been paid to a former East Sussex fire officer who spent 40 years serving in Eastbourne and surrounding areas, and who died recently.

Ken Gould, who was 89 and lived at Willingdon, passed away last month in Grange House Care Home, Grange Road, Eastbourne

Mr Gould transferred to Eastbourne County Borough Fire Brigade from Surrey in 1968 where he took up the post of station officer, firstly at the former station in Bourne Street and then at the new Whitley Road station. In the early 1970s, when the four separate borough brigades amalgamated, he worked on the plans for a single control and communications system.

He was promoted to assistant divisional officer and during his tenure oversaw hotel inspections, the training of retained firefighters across many East Sussex stations as well as dealing with major incidents – including the large Booth’s Hotel fire in Langney Road, Eastbourne, in 1981. Upon retiring operationally, he undertook a final stint as a civilian fire prevention officer before eventually leaving the service at 65.