Safety Knights

I am Back!

We had a wonderful time in Ireland and London. Ireland is an incredibly special place! We are going to go back someday. London is very cosmopolitan and there is history all around. On our second day in London, we had been on a bus tour and were back at the hotel about 5:00 PM. We decided to take a walk around the neighborhood and get a bite to eat. We were just north and a little west of Lancaster Gate (to Hyde Park). We got over to a major avenue and an intersection. There were police and people everywhere. So, we stood too. We found ourselves on a traffic island. Suddenly ten police motorcycles pulled up with their sirens blowing and four large vans filled with more police. The police jumped out and fanned out along both sides of the avenue. The motorcycles and vans took off again. Then people really started coming and lining the street. There was a light rain. About 45 minutes later I heard what turned out to be four helicopters going around in slow wide circles, several hundred feet above us. I am 6’4” so I could see over most people’s heads. Soon I could see blue flashing lights coming down the avenue and then heard many sirens coming. Suddenly they were on us, and the Queen’s hearse went by so close I could have easily touched it. Right behind her was Queen Ann and Prince Andrew in a Rolls Royce Limousine, next several more Land Rovers with security personnel, followed be several more police motorcycles. Everyone was clapping and most were crying. It was sad but exciting at the same time. So, we got to see a little history to remember.

“You can take the Man out of Safety, But You CANNOT take the Safety out of the Man!” Just to show you I was thinking of all of you I took this picture of the two fire extinguisher systems I saw all over Ireland and London. Never did see a “single” fire extinguisher. Sally, my wife, laughed at me for taking the picture!

As fighter pilot Russell Casse (Randy Quaid) says in the movie Independence Day, “Hey Boys, I am Back!”