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When most people think about engineering, they probably don’t immediately think about emergency callouts, high-pressure problem solving, or restoring heating and hot water to hundreds of people against the clock.
But at Rapid Energy, that’s exactly what the job can involve.
From emergency boiler failures to chiller breakdowns, our engineers are trusted to respond quickly, think fast, and deliver solutions when businesses need them most.
For Senior Commercial Engineer Joe Lattimore, who has been with Rapid Energy for almost four years, emergency callouts are all part of the job.
Recently, Joe attended an emergency boiler callout at a residential building in London after a major system issue left occupants without hot water.
Here’s how the day unfolded…
10:00am – The Emergency Call Comes In
“The call came from a customer at the London property requesting a temporary boiler to get the building’s hot water back up and running.”
The emergency call came through at approximately 10am on Wednesday 22nd April 2026.
For Rapid Energy engineers, emergency response starts immediately. Every hour without heating or hot water increases pressure on the client and disruption for the people affected.
11:45am – Arriving on Site
“I attended site within 2 hours for a site survey to see how we could help.”
When Joe arrived, the atmosphere on site was understandably tense.
“The site had a big leak on a pump, which caused the system to lose water and prevented the hot water plates from supplying hot water to the building. So, as you can imagine, there was a lot of pressure to get this running again ASAP, as our client was under pressure from the people living in the properties.”
“If not resolved quickly, the risk was leaving hundreds of people without hot water, putting our client under significant stress as a result.”
Assessing the Situation
Before any equipment could be installed, Joe needed to quickly assess the site and design the right solution.
“The first thing I did upon arrival was assess the site ground conditions, site access logistics, and the type of boiler solution I was going to provide, before heading down to the plant room to design a solution suitable for the client’s needs.”
Emergency callouts aren’t just about reacting quickly, they require fast technical thinking, adaptability, and problem-solving under pressure.
Making Fast Decisions on Site
As the job developed, Joe made a couple of adjustments to make the installation more practical.
“I changed the connection points from what the client had originally requested, as it made the installation easier and more efficient overall. I also chose a better point to connect to the building’s hot water system to avoid causing any damage and to make it much easier for the client to reinstate the system afterwards.”
This ability to adapt in real time is a huge part of what makes emergency engineering both challenging and rewarding.
Installing the Temporary Boiler Solution
To restore hot water to the building, Rapid Energy supplied and installed a fully tailored temporary boiler setup.
“A 300kW oil-fired boiler was supplied, along with over 180m of 2” pipework. The pipework was routed through different connection points across the system to reach the basement plant room, before being connected to the hot water plate.”
From the initial survey through to installation, Joe managed the whole project.
“I found the whole job rewarding, as on this particular project, I carried out the survey, chose the solution, and also installed the boiler. I got a lot of satisfaction from delivering the project from start to finish.”
Within 24 Hours – Heat Restored
The result was exactly what the client needed: a fast, effective solution delivered under pressure.
“The client was extremely impressed with the equipment, the installation works, and the responsiveness of Rapid Energy, who delivered a solution with heat restored within 24 hours of the initial phone call.”
For Rapid Energy, that responsiveness is what emergency temperature control is all about.
Why Engineers Enjoy Working at Rapid Energy
Emergency callouts aren’t routine. They’re fast-paced, hands-on, and different every single day.
For Joe, one of the best parts of the role is the variety and responsibility that comes with responding to high-pressure situations.
“For me personally, I enjoy problem-solving, so being able to do that while helping our clients is really rewarding.”
At Rapid Energy, engineers are trusted to think independently, respond quickly, and deliver real solutions when clients need them most.
If this sounds like the kind of role you’d thrive in, explore our current career opportunities or get in touch with the team at careers@rapidenergy.co.uk.
