Brentwood: currently 12°C, scattered clouds
high today 14°C, low tonight 10°C
sunrise 6.02am, sunset 6.09pm
Now playing:
Tiffany - I Think We're Alone Now (M)
Listen Live Webcam


Chernobyl Hero

To listen again click here:

[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Petr-Makarenko-17-04-13.mp3|titles=Petr Makarenko 17 04 13]

We heard this morning from one of the bravest and most important people you could hope to meet, who took time out to speak to me during the week when he was visiting Billericay as part of a Europe-wide speaking tour. Petr Makarenko was one of the firefighters working at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant when one of the reactors ignited in 1986, a battle which claimed the lives of many of his friends and colleagues as they fought to prevent what is still the worst nuclear power plant accident in history from becoming even worse – potentially turning parts of Europe into a nuclear graveyard.

Petr described how life carried on as normal that Saturday in April in the small town where he and his young family had settled, just 3km from the plant; he also told me how he felt on being given the news that he was expected to live just a few weeks because of his exposure to radiation after 5 days on the plant. Petr also spoke about the attitude of the authorities to him and his fellow survivors, who were until recently officially recognised as “liquidators” but are now merely remembered as victims of Chernobyl, and how – despite having many serious medical problems – he is no longer entitled to free medical treatment.

Petr was a guest of the South Essex Link of Chernobyl Children’s Life Line, who are busy planning this year’s recuperative holiday for a dozen children living in one of the areas of Belarus still badly affected by contamination resulting from the disaster, nearly thirty years later. For more information visit the website.

It’s not an overstatement to say that without the sacrifice, skill and bravery of Petr and his colleagues life would most likely have been very different for us all, whether or not we were alive in 1986. He is truly worthy of the title “Hero”; a warm-hearted, humorous gentleman to boot, and I shall treasure for a very long time the memory of meeting him.

Subscribe to our newsletter!
One a month, no spam, honest

Now on air
Coming up
More from Feelgood Saturday, Interviews
More from
More from Phoenix FM


Chernobyl Hero

To listen again click here:

[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Petr-Makarenko-17-04-13.mp3|titles=Petr Makarenko 17 04 13]

We heard this morning from one of the bravest and most important people you could hope to meet, who took time out to speak to me during the week when he was visiting Billericay as part of a Europe-wide speaking tour. Petr Makarenko was one of the firefighters working at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant when one of the reactors ignited in 1986, a battle which claimed the lives of many of his friends and colleagues as they fought to prevent what is still the worst nuclear power plant accident in history from becoming even worse – potentially turning parts of Europe into a nuclear graveyard.

Petr described how life carried on as normal that Saturday in April in the small town where he and his young family had settled, just 3km from the plant; he also told me how he felt on being given the news that he was expected to live just a few weeks because of his exposure to radiation after 5 days on the plant. Petr also spoke about the attitude of the authorities to him and his fellow survivors, who were until recently officially recognised as “liquidators” but are now merely remembered as victims of Chernobyl, and how – despite having many serious medical problems – he is no longer entitled to free medical treatment.

Petr was a guest of the South Essex Link of Chernobyl Children’s Life Line, who are busy planning this year’s recuperative holiday for a dozen children living in one of the areas of Belarus still badly affected by contamination resulting from the disaster, nearly thirty years later. For more information visit the website.

It’s not an overstatement to say that without the sacrifice, skill and bravery of Petr and his colleagues life would most likely have been very different for us all, whether or not we were alive in 1986. He is truly worthy of the title “Hero”; a warm-hearted, humorous gentleman to boot, and I shall treasure for a very long time the memory of meeting him.

Subscribe to our newsletter!
One a month, no spam, honest

Now on air
Coming up
More from Feelgood Saturday, Interviews
More from
More from Phoenix FM


Chernobyl Hero

To listen again click here:

[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Petr-Makarenko-17-04-13.mp3|titles=Petr Makarenko 17 04 13]

We heard this morning from one of the bravest and most important people you could hope to meet, who took time out to speak to me during the week when he was visiting Billericay as part of a Europe-wide speaking tour. Petr Makarenko was one of the firefighters working at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant when one of the reactors ignited in 1986, a battle which claimed the lives of many of his friends and colleagues as they fought to prevent what is still the worst nuclear power plant accident in history from becoming even worse – potentially turning parts of Europe into a nuclear graveyard.

Petr described how life carried on as normal that Saturday in April in the small town where he and his young family had settled, just 3km from the plant; he also told me how he felt on being given the news that he was expected to live just a few weeks because of his exposure to radiation after 5 days on the plant. Petr also spoke about the attitude of the authorities to him and his fellow survivors, who were until recently officially recognised as “liquidators” but are now merely remembered as victims of Chernobyl, and how – despite having many serious medical problems – he is no longer entitled to free medical treatment.

Petr was a guest of the South Essex Link of Chernobyl Children’s Life Line, who are busy planning this year’s recuperative holiday for a dozen children living in one of the areas of Belarus still badly affected by contamination resulting from the disaster, nearly thirty years later. For more information visit the website.

It’s not an overstatement to say that without the sacrifice, skill and bravery of Petr and his colleagues life would most likely have been very different for us all, whether or not we were alive in 1986. He is truly worthy of the title “Hero”; a warm-hearted, humorous gentleman to boot, and I shall treasure for a very long time the memory of meeting him.

Subscribe to our newsletter!
One a month, no spam, honest

Now on air
Coming up
More from Feelgood Saturday, Interviews
More from
More from Phoenix FM


Chernobyl Hero

To listen again click here:

[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Petr-Makarenko-17-04-13.mp3|titles=Petr Makarenko 17 04 13]

We heard this morning from one of the bravest and most important people you could hope to meet, who took time out to speak to me during the week when he was visiting Billericay as part of a Europe-wide speaking tour. Petr Makarenko was one of the firefighters working at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant when one of the reactors ignited in 1986, a battle which claimed the lives of many of his friends and colleagues as they fought to prevent what is still the worst nuclear power plant accident in history from becoming even worse – potentially turning parts of Europe into a nuclear graveyard.

Petr described how life carried on as normal that Saturday in April in the small town where he and his young family had settled, just 3km from the plant; he also told me how he felt on being given the news that he was expected to live just a few weeks because of his exposure to radiation after 5 days on the plant. Petr also spoke about the attitude of the authorities to him and his fellow survivors, who were until recently officially recognised as “liquidators” but are now merely remembered as victims of Chernobyl, and how – despite having many serious medical problems – he is no longer entitled to free medical treatment.

Petr was a guest of the South Essex Link of Chernobyl Children’s Life Line, who are busy planning this year’s recuperative holiday for a dozen children living in one of the areas of Belarus still badly affected by contamination resulting from the disaster, nearly thirty years later. For more information visit the website.

It’s not an overstatement to say that without the sacrifice, skill and bravery of Petr and his colleagues life would most likely have been very different for us all, whether or not we were alive in 1986. He is truly worthy of the title “Hero”; a warm-hearted, humorous gentleman to boot, and I shall treasure for a very long time the memory of meeting him.

Subscribe to our newsletter!
One a month, no spam, honest

Now on air
Coming up
More from Feelgood Saturday, Interviews
More from
More from Phoenix FM