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- Feb 4, 2010
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Firefighter chiefs could be set to make a dramatic U-turn on controversial new breathing equipment, after taking samples to Britain for urgent safety tests. Fire fighters claim the packs are risking lives and may refuse to use them from tomorrow due to serious concerns over their and the public?s safety. Last night many of the oxygen cylinders, which form part of the equipment for Dublin fire fighters, were removed from service. The Irish Examiner understands the packs were sent by Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) management to the manufacturer?s European base on Tuesday night.
Dublin City Council, which speaks on behalf of management, refused to comment on any issue surrounding the equipment. However, it is understood a sample of four packs were taken by Se?n Cagney, DFB acting district officer, to Lancashire in Britain where US manufacturer Scott Safety?s European headquarters is situated. Sources confirmed the tests were taking place on the packs. It is possible the almost 300 sets of the equipment bought in October may become obsolete.
Of those, 60 are not being used due to concerns from frontline workers caused by a series of "potentially catastrophic events". Despite claims from senior DFB official, Gerry Geraghty, last week that the matter was resolved, Ross MacCobb, national vice chairman of the Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association, said nothing had changed. He said eight incidents with "the potential to seriously injure or kill a fire fighter" have occurred since the equipment was introduced in October".
This includes problems in Co Kerry, where some of the packs are also used, and Dublin, where masks have collapsed onto fire fighters faces due to a lack of air flow and "unexplained loss of pressure". Mr MacCobb said despite repeatedly raising frontline staff?s "questions, concerns and fears" over the dangerous situations with management, they were not satisfied adequate safety checks were in place.
As a result, he said the group would be forced to discuss refusing to use the equipment unless it can be assured of fire fighters? and the public?s safety, with a decision on what action to take to be made by tomorrow evening.
*** Ifesa - Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association Press Release Wed 18th Jan 2012 ***
Fire Fighters Demand Immediate Withdrawal of Breathing Apparatus Sets by Dublin City Council Following Further Incidents.
The Irish Fire Emergency Services Association (IFESA) has today (Wednesday 18th Jan.) called for the withdrawal of new Breathing Apparatus sets after three more serious unexplained incidents involving the new sets in a 12 hour period. This now brings to 8 potential catastrophic events that have the potential to seriously injury or kill a fire fighter.
Des Kavanagh, General Secretary of the PNA, representing IFESA said comments by Mr Gerry Geraghty, of Dublin City Council on RTE last week that the issues with the new breathing apparatus sets had been resolved were clearly untrue, given that there is ongoing problems with these sets that could pose a serious threat to life of the fire fighters and also to the citizens they serve.
Mr. Kavanagh said:
?On Monday, January 16th three further Breathing Apparatus set failed, just days after Mr. Gerry Geraghty, Dublin City Council, assured Joe Duffy on RTE Radio that the problem had been sorted.
On Monday morning a class of new recruits were being familiarised with breathing apparatus sets in a routine exercise when one was noted not to be operating in a correct manner this effected the airflow. An Instructor immediately intervened. The set was impounded.
A second incident arose later on Monday night when a fire fighter fighting a domestic fire in Tallaght experienced insufficient air flow, causing the mask to collapse onto his face. The fire fighters had to immediately evacuate themselves from the building.
Again on Monday night ,during start of shift testing a set developed an unexplainable loss of pressure that developed into a leak..This was the Third incident in 12 hours.
No matter if these incidents had been in a small bedroom, house, factory, warehouse or underground car park fire the fire fighters potentially could have been in very serious danger. Yet Dublin City Council insisted through their spokesman, Mr. Gerry Geraghty, that the problem had been resolved, even though up to 60 sets have been taken out of operational use due to low level and unexplained failures, 20% of the sets in use in Dublin are now unserviceable with some fire engines carrying reduced sets numbers on board.
?If this situation wasn?t so serious it could be described as farcical. Dublin City Council need to focus on their duty of care to their staff and sort out this problem before a more serious incident occurs. Blaming the messenger instead of listening to the message will be of no benefit if a fire fighter is seriously injured or killed. We are highlighting real events, real failures and real threats to the safety of fire fighters and the citizens of Dublin. We will not be dismissed by the type of comments indulged in by Mr. Geraghty.?
Many fire fighters are now seeking access to the old sets where they are available because they have lost confidence in the new breathing apparatus sets.?
Des Kavanagh concluded : ?We are now repeating our call that these breathing apparatus sets be withdrawn until there has been a complete, and preferably independent scientific and analytical , investigation into these unexplained problems that have occurred on 8 occasions to date with a full risk assessment being conducted. Dublin City Council must convince their fire fighters that they can have confidence in their breathing equipment. Right now the fire fighters and their families have serious concerns for their safety and that of the citizens they serve. If the Council do not address this serious issue immediately they must take full responsibility for the consequences of their inaction?.
Dublin City Council, which speaks on behalf of management, refused to comment on any issue surrounding the equipment. However, it is understood a sample of four packs were taken by Se?n Cagney, DFB acting district officer, to Lancashire in Britain where US manufacturer Scott Safety?s European headquarters is situated. Sources confirmed the tests were taking place on the packs. It is possible the almost 300 sets of the equipment bought in October may become obsolete.
Of those, 60 are not being used due to concerns from frontline workers caused by a series of "potentially catastrophic events". Despite claims from senior DFB official, Gerry Geraghty, last week that the matter was resolved, Ross MacCobb, national vice chairman of the Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association, said nothing had changed. He said eight incidents with "the potential to seriously injure or kill a fire fighter" have occurred since the equipment was introduced in October".
This includes problems in Co Kerry, where some of the packs are also used, and Dublin, where masks have collapsed onto fire fighters faces due to a lack of air flow and "unexplained loss of pressure". Mr MacCobb said despite repeatedly raising frontline staff?s "questions, concerns and fears" over the dangerous situations with management, they were not satisfied adequate safety checks were in place.
As a result, he said the group would be forced to discuss refusing to use the equipment unless it can be assured of fire fighters? and the public?s safety, with a decision on what action to take to be made by tomorrow evening.
*** Ifesa - Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association Press Release Wed 18th Jan 2012 ***
Fire Fighters Demand Immediate Withdrawal of Breathing Apparatus Sets by Dublin City Council Following Further Incidents.
The Irish Fire Emergency Services Association (IFESA) has today (Wednesday 18th Jan.) called for the withdrawal of new Breathing Apparatus sets after three more serious unexplained incidents involving the new sets in a 12 hour period. This now brings to 8 potential catastrophic events that have the potential to seriously injury or kill a fire fighter.
Des Kavanagh, General Secretary of the PNA, representing IFESA said comments by Mr Gerry Geraghty, of Dublin City Council on RTE last week that the issues with the new breathing apparatus sets had been resolved were clearly untrue, given that there is ongoing problems with these sets that could pose a serious threat to life of the fire fighters and also to the citizens they serve.
Mr. Kavanagh said:
?On Monday, January 16th three further Breathing Apparatus set failed, just days after Mr. Gerry Geraghty, Dublin City Council, assured Joe Duffy on RTE Radio that the problem had been sorted.
On Monday morning a class of new recruits were being familiarised with breathing apparatus sets in a routine exercise when one was noted not to be operating in a correct manner this effected the airflow. An Instructor immediately intervened. The set was impounded.
A second incident arose later on Monday night when a fire fighter fighting a domestic fire in Tallaght experienced insufficient air flow, causing the mask to collapse onto his face. The fire fighters had to immediately evacuate themselves from the building.
Again on Monday night ,during start of shift testing a set developed an unexplainable loss of pressure that developed into a leak..This was the Third incident in 12 hours.
No matter if these incidents had been in a small bedroom, house, factory, warehouse or underground car park fire the fire fighters potentially could have been in very serious danger. Yet Dublin City Council insisted through their spokesman, Mr. Gerry Geraghty, that the problem had been resolved, even though up to 60 sets have been taken out of operational use due to low level and unexplained failures, 20% of the sets in use in Dublin are now unserviceable with some fire engines carrying reduced sets numbers on board.
?If this situation wasn?t so serious it could be described as farcical. Dublin City Council need to focus on their duty of care to their staff and sort out this problem before a more serious incident occurs. Blaming the messenger instead of listening to the message will be of no benefit if a fire fighter is seriously injured or killed. We are highlighting real events, real failures and real threats to the safety of fire fighters and the citizens of Dublin. We will not be dismissed by the type of comments indulged in by Mr. Geraghty.?
Many fire fighters are now seeking access to the old sets where they are available because they have lost confidence in the new breathing apparatus sets.?
Des Kavanagh concluded : ?We are now repeating our call that these breathing apparatus sets be withdrawn until there has been a complete, and preferably independent scientific and analytical , investigation into these unexplained problems that have occurred on 8 occasions to date with a full risk assessment being conducted. Dublin City Council must convince their fire fighters that they can have confidence in their breathing equipment. Right now the fire fighters and their families have serious concerns for their safety and that of the citizens they serve. If the Council do not address this serious issue immediately they must take full responsibility for the consequences of their inaction?.