We were called to a fire at Grenfell tower,
being the fire station nearest to the tower we were first there.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary when we got there,
we thought we had put the fire out unbeknown to us at the same time,
as we're in the tower putting the fire out the fire had escaped out the window,
and started creeping up the cladding.
As I went to leave the tower I was met by a young girl who told me her sister
was up high in the towel on the 20th floor told me her name was Jessica,
and she was from flat 176.
I jumped in a lift and pressed the 20th floor,
unfortunately it opened on the 15th floor and filled with thick black smoke.
it was very scary your radios not working so you feel very much alone,
then you're going up into the tower and you can't see a thing.
You're desperate to find a little girl and so many different emotions
go through your head.
I realised I was in a bit of trouble I didn't have any breathing apparatus
I was on my own I literally just held my breath and managed to get myself,
back into the stairwell which was relatively clear still.
Ran back down the stairs when I got my BA set and grabbed a hold of,
whoever I could to come back into the tower with me.
We got to the 20th floor I poked my head through the lobby area,
and you couldn't see a thing it was thick black smoke.
We found flat 176 we searched the flat, shouting out,
we came to one window realised that the flames were all around us,
the heat was getting intense by this time,
but we made sure there was no one in there we got outside the flat.
My colleagues low pressure warning whistle had gone off so...
...we had to get out the tower.
Got outside took our breathing set off, I just remember looking up at the tower,
and it was just a massive inferno,
you just felt lucky that you had got out of there.
I've been a firefighter for 20 years it's like nothing I've ever seen,
the building felt like it was collapsing things were flying off the building,
it was spreading like wildfire.
There was lots of other things I did that night,
I was using riot shields to get people in and out the tower,
resuscitated a young young woman on a stretcher,
I am picked up her body someone who had jumped from the tower,
this all happened in one night.
When I got home I was watching the news and looking on social media
at what was going on and I saw a post from a couple of friends of mine
who I've known for like 25/30 years.
Well that night I got phone call from my sister-in-law and she said,
I think Grenfell's on fire.
I'd posted on Facebook that we were looking for my niece and my brother.
So I rang them I said listen I've seen your brother he's all right,
and they said we know Ram's ok but we're looking for our niece Jessica,
and I said to Manny what floor was she on?
He said the 20th floor, I said you do you know what flat number it was?
And I remember him shouting to his wife and I could hear her shout:
"They was in 176" I was...
This is crazy I was actually looking for your niece in the tower,
She was 12 almost like a daughter to me she just enjoyed life,
she was just so bubbly an happy always smiling,
and that was our Jess.
I hadn't spoke to Manny for a good 10-15 years,
this tragedy brought us back together and if I can take positive,
from all this negativity, all the trauma, all the heartbreak
it's brought our friendship together and we're like brothers now.
Manny: We lean on each other every time we see each other we cry hug it out,
and we're just there a shoulder to cry on to support each other.
My mental health for the first six months was probably the worst,
after the fire I tried to carry on as normal I went back to work,
I was at work for a couple of weeks and my bosses told me,
I needed to take some time off I was breaking down at work
they gave me a month off.
I don't think it helped my mental health that I was stuck at home doing nothing,
this is when I decided I needed to help.
The following year me and Manny did a Swimathon raising money,
for The Grenfell Foundation at the place where we first met
at Kensington Sports Centre which was amazing.
We got a lot of support managed to raise over £6000,
for the Grenfell foundation which is vitally important in helping,
the bereaved survivors and the community around Grenfell.
Me and Manny have just been putting our heart and soul,
into trying to do as much as we can.
I met up with Zoe from a community project called 'Kids on the Green',
and she started literally with a couple of blankets on a green near the tower.
Put some urgent messages of help to any therapists and artists to come down,
and look after the kids and 'Kids on the Green' grew.
At the fire station we decided we was going to run the Marathon,
we managed to raise over £50,000 which went a long way,
in helping 'Kids on the Green' to become more established.
And they've kind of evolved now into a community arts project,
they've got a music studio, they do holistic therapies and all sorts,
it's become a bit of a youth club.
My hope for the future is justice,
some justice for all the families that have lost loved ones.
We just need to end this cladding scandal that we've got in this country.
There's flammable materials around the outside of residential buildings,
hospitals, offices, schools when did it come right that we put stuff,
that's comparable to cigarette lighter fuel around the side of a building.
I just hope that we never see anything like what happened at Grenfell ever again.
Dave.
Manny.
You're not just a friend anymore you are my brother.
You've been with me from my deepest darkest times.
I'll always be there for you when you're having your down days,
just call and I love you bro.
I don't know if I could have even got through it without you,
I was in a deep dark place and you and your families love,
as well as my family's got me this so...
...nothing but love.