Some months ago, a colleague of mine who had taken part in the 1977 Fire Service strike advised me that there would be no way I would want to walk out the doors and join a picket line.

At the time, I could only comprehend the possible hardships of a diminishing pay packet and unpleasant weather conditions.

I was unprepared for the tremendous amount of support given by so many of those people I felt guilty about letting down

Nigel Stroud, on the picket line

On Sunday 24 November, it was finally time for myself, and the rest of Green Watch to walk out of those doors and take our place on that line.

Nothing can ever prepare you for the emotional rollercoaster ride that follows such a seemingly simple act.

Everyone in the Fire Service involved in this dispute must have felt similar feelings of frustrations, anger and confusion after the last minute talks had been scuppered on the Friday morning.

Sick inside

But walking out onto a picket line provokes more personal and private feelings.

I felt sick inside.

I also felt disgusted, with myself for letting down all those people in the community that I've been serving as a fire-fighter for the last 14 years.

Nigel Stroud (middle, back row)

But disgust also for those people, politicians and the like, who have played their part in putting us all in this position.

Such emotions really do shake one's resolve.

However I was equally unprepared for the tremendous amount of support given by so many of those people I felt guilty about letting down.

It is truly amazing to witness and receive the compassion shown to us by those people.

Not just the continuous honking of vehicle horns, the thumbs up, and the smiles and nods of sympathetic people.

We have also had numerous donations of food and drink (please, no more doughnuts!) money, and wood for the ever consuming brazier.

Yes, there have been a few negative responses, some quite abusive and unprintable.

Girl's gift

They sap the morale a little, and make you feel wretched for a while, but there is always someone else who restores it.

A little girl's gift of Cadbury's Heroes spoke more than words to me.

Apparently, we had put out her mum's kitchen fire.

The prime minister's address on Monday provoked seething anger and displays of rage

Nigel Stroud

As the strike progresses, more and more information comes to light. Some of it misinformed and some of it downright lies.

The politician's and media's interpretations of our job can vary so much from what things are really like on the front line.

I do wonder whether we are talking about the same job.

The confused handling of recent events and statements from the government only lead to more frustration on the picket line.

The prime minister's address on Monday provoked seething anger and displays of rage from people I have always known as easy going and mild mannered.

I guess our nerves are a little frayed at the edges at the moment.

The final and long expected admission from the government that "modernisation" does actually mean job cuts just inspired a grim determination to see this through, and further support of union leader Andy Gilchrist.

Admiration and respect

Another kick in the teeth was delivered by our own Chief Fire Officer (CFO).

Apparently, if we break our strike to attend an endangered life, we are likely to be prosecuted for using equipment without permission and insurance.

Indeed the Army have been instructed to turn us away if we offer our help.

Still many of us see the cost of three points on a driving licence a small price to pay for saving a life.

We have attended where our skills are necessary to save life and will continue to do that.

The attitude of our CFO does little to cloud our admiration and respect for the soldiers doing our job.

It will be interesting to see though, if 19,000 can really replace 55,000 after a few more weeks of this.

Tony Blair seems to think they can. But I would like to point out that they don't have to do everything we have to do.