‘Faulty radios’ placing firefighters’ lives at risk
ALONG-SERVING Birmingham fire commander has claimed lives are continuously being put at risk because radio and communication systems are failing.
The commander, who has been in the service for 30 years, has also drawn similarities between problems firefighters tackling the Grenfell disaster faced and those experienced by officers in the West Midlands.
The commander has spoken out after the Fire Brigade Union (FBU) announced West Midlands firefighters are set to strike following a row over ‘social care’ contracts.
Results of a recent ballot show a 90 per cent vote in favour of strike action after the service issued new contracts, which include firefighters being taken away from the front line for non-emergency duties such as caring for the elderly.
The fire commander, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “I am absolutely appalled and disgusted at the way firefighters on my watch and others in Birmingham are being treated. Communication systems are continuously failing on us and despite us raising these issues time and again with those in charge, we are not being listened to.”
FBU bosses confirmed last month they had received complaints from members that firefighters were having to use their personal mobile phones when attending jobs because their own radio systems and sat-navs were breaking down.
“The situation with the satnavs is just the tip of the iceberg,” the fire commander told the Birmingham Post.
“Heat sensitive radios are failing on jobs and the BA radios have failed when they are exposed to heat.
“When temperatures reach 1,000 degrees heat, your own mobile phones are not going to work.
“I can instance think of at least one where a vulnerable person has been trapped inside a burning house and all of our communications, including Tom Tom, GIS mapping and mobile phones have failed. And that’s just on the way to a job. I know this is happening across the fire service.”
West Midlands firefighters are set to strike over a row over new ‘social care’ contracts, which could require officers to attend to ‘lonely and vulnerable’ people in the community, alongside their emergency duties.
Part states: ment, of the new contract “By signing this docuyou are specifically agreeing to accept changes and additions to your role, with reasonable notice as may be required by current and future needs of the service.”
A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said: “Our Back Home Safe and Well pilot scheme was introduced on a trial basis in 2016.
“We received positive feedback from members of the public and health partners who used the service.
“It added value but following a review, the decision has been taken to cease the pilot scheme as it wasn’t fully delivering the benefits in support of our strategy.”
He added: “The safety of our staff is paramount. Injuries to our firefighters are running at their lowest recorded levels.
“We’re buying nearly 100 new sat-navs for use by our crews and will be working to maximise the signal they receive.
“However, such technology is there to assist and complement our crews’ existing professional knowledge, not to replace it.”
Communication systems are continuously failing on us Fire Commander