Today I attended the funeral of fire-fighter Alan Bannon at St Mary's Church.

The event was a very moving and a powerful mixture of intense sadness but also much pride. It was amazing to see the streets lined with so many members of the public there to pay their respects.

It was a very emotional goodbye from all the HFRS staff to one of their colleagues. I was very proud to be there to represent the Constabulary and especially Southampton OCU.

I was proud too of the police officers who attended the funeral. They had been involved in the tragic events at Shirley Towers. The funeral must have been very difficult for them but I was heartened by the strength of support given to them and by them.

Many of the tributes paid during the ceremony highlighted the courage and bravery of the two fire-fighters who died. All fire-fighters do a very special job involving physical courage and commitment.

I thought how several of the tributes were also very applicable to the police service. Public service in the face of risk and hardship, service to the community and beyond all else 'service before self'.

Members from all emergency services go about their daily tasks knowing they face risks but, as was said at St Mary's today, they do so willingly in the service of others.

When the call for help comes in then people from emergency services respond. On this occasion it was fire-fighters who took the greatest risks.

On other occasions it might be police officers.

We should never take that response and that service for granted; it's very special and we must protect and value it for the protection it offers to those we serve and to ourselves.