Fire crew fear people could die over ‘unfair’ border protocol
AN anomaly which sees Kilkenny fire crews travel up to 30km to fires and accidents near New Ross, instead of the local fire-fighters, is to be addressed later this year.
Chief Fire Officer with Kilkenny County Council John Collins said the current system isn’t fair.
He said in south Kilkenny there is an agreement in place with Waterford City Fire Station that they cover Slieverue and Glenmore.
‘ They would be first [on the scene] as they are the nearest brigade. New Ross would come out and be first on the New Ross side of Glenmore. They come over the bridge and have a certain area in Kilkenny where New Ross comes in as a second pump back up.’
He said just as Kilkenny fire-fighters based in Graiguenamanagh and Thomastown go into Co Wexford, Co Wexford fire-fighters go into Co Kilkenny.
It takes around 20 minutes for Graiguenamanagh fire tenders to travel to New Ross and 26 minutes from Thomastown. ‘If there is a road traffic accident on the Waterford Road, as there was six months ago when a person was bad in the car, they were sent from Graigue to take the call. It took them 33 minutes. It’s going to lead to someone being killed,’ a Co Wexford fireman said.
The fire fighter said during a recent call out, fire-fighters were dispatched to a blaze from south Kilkenny, but New Ross fire-fighters were also dispatched due to the urgency of the situation following a call from the farmer and had attended the incident and were on the way back into New Ross when the Kilkenny fire-fighters passed them.
‘Common sense is not being applied. It’s a waste of resources and money,’ the fireman said.
Politicians have been alerted to the issue. ‘If there was a bad house fire in Glenmore we can be there in six minutes. 30 minutes is too long; someone could be dead. It’s the same with road traffic accidents. There are about ten different situations we could highlight in the last six months.’
On another occasion a south Kilkenny crew was dispatched to a house fire in Slieverue, only for New Ross to also be dispatched.
‘We had the fire under control before the Kilkenny appliance even got there and they were on the road ten minutes before we were contacted. We’ve a major issue with the Kilkenny protocol that is in place. In the National Directive Governance, I have the page that states under national procedures the nearest appliance to the incident is to be mobilised; it doesn’t matter where they’re from.’
Describing this is a historic arrangement, Mr Collins said at a national level a Predetermined Attendances (PDA) system is being developed based on proximity to townlands.
‘ There is a PDA set down which is gone through the Eastern Regional Control Centre (RCC) in Dublin so if someone rings in Raheen or Glenmore the RCC match the townland to a PDA. I know they are looking at a system where the tender closest to the incident attends. If a brigade from New Ross is in Rosslare and there is a fire nearby whoever is mobile and available at the time, they go. That is the plan going forward.’
Fire-fighters in New Ross have been very concerned about the current system, some saying there is a chance south Kilkenny fire tenders might get to the scene of an accident or house fire too late when they are geographically much better placed to get to the scene.
Mr Collins said: ‘ This is an established practise over the last 30, 40 years. It will be changed so that the nearest tender available goes. We have the same issues in south Kilkenny. There is an agreement with Waterford City Council to provide fire cover in the south of the county. New Ross comes into a small area outside of New Ross. When it does go to the nearest resource, that area will be increased.’
Mr Collins said there are Section 85 agreements in place between all local authorities regrading border areas.
‘When Wexford comes into Kilkenny they can come in and under the Fire Services Act they have the power to put out a fire. They would be getting paid by Kilkenny County Council. They get paid appropriately for that call-out, whereas with Waterford we pay them so much every year irrespective. We also go into Carlow and Tipperary. The Chief Fire Officer knows his own brigade. The National Director for Fire & Emergency Management are looking at this risk based assessment on PDA which is matching your resources. That was due to come out pre- Covid. This will be changed within the coming months.’
Mr Collins said he faces similar trade union issues in the north, east and west of Co Kilkenny.
‘It’s the exact same thing. I would prefer if the whole county can go together as it’s a fairer system for everyone. It’s not a simple job of just changing one townsland for a fire station; it’s a major operation to change the whole operating model. As a Chief Fire Officer and a member of the public, we need fire tenders getting there as quickly as possible. Union and staff are involved so it’s not just a flick of a switch. Everyone should just go together; some brigades will lose areas and others will gain areas.’
IT’S NOT A SIMPLE JOB OF JUST CHANGING ONE TOWNSLAND FOR A FIRE STATION; IT’S A MAJOR OPERATION TO CHANGE THE WHOLE OPERATING MODEL