Service boosted by new £2.5m centre.. but biggest assets are calmness and skill of control room staff
THE skills of control room firefighters can make the difference between life and death for anyone caught up in the terror of a blaze.
Their ability to calmly assure stricken callers that help is on its way – and remind them not to panic – is crucial in increasing their chances of survival.
Yesterday, as a £2.5million state-of-the-art control centre opened in Dundee, a senior officer explained how important their role is.
Alasdair Hay, chief officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said the work of the control centre staff is invaluable.
And his point is highlighted by the transcript from a real-life rescue, left, which shows just how calm and methodical the highly-skilled workers have to be when working under extreme pressure.
Alasdair said: “Our 165 control firefighters across Scotland are the unseen frontline, working together to play a critical role in the safety and wellbeing of our communities.
“Lives have been saved by their calm advice given over the phone that buys vital seconds for those trapped in a fire or other emergency situation.
“It is therefore only right and proper that we provide them with the very best equipment and facilities to help them deliver, and keep delivering.”
Recordings of the harrowing final calls to emergency services made by victims of the recent Grenfell Tower tragedy gave the public an idea of the difficulties faced by control room staff.
As well as doing all they can to keep fire victims alive until help arrives, workers are responsible for sending fire crews to the scene as quickly as possible.
Their role also includes coordinating major responses to significant incidents, such as severe weather and flooding.
The new Scots centre, based at Dundee’s Macalpine Road fire station, is one of three protecting the country.
Jill Barber, group manager of north control in the national fire service, is in charge of the team who answer emergency calls for anywhere in Scotland north of Perth.
Their staff include officers from Aberdeen, Inverness and the islands, which ensures there is local knowledge available from those areas at any time.
But even with expert staff and modern technology to call upon, rescuing someone by issuing phone instructions is incredibly tough – and in some
cases it is not possible to save the person who is trapped. Describing a case in which an elderly woman lost her life, Jill said the trauma of dealing with tragedy can affect the workers deeply. She said: “One incident that stands out from a couple of years ago involved an elderly woman with dementia. “She called from a mobile and our operator did everything they could to talk her out of the building and get her to safety. “We also tried to get her location so we could mobilise units to help but we couldn’t get answers from her. “The control operator tried different strategies to make her understand but her condition made it too difficult. “Because she was on a mobile phone it was also very difficult to pinpoint exactly where she was. If a landline is used we can contact BT for help. “In this case, it was too late and we couldn’t save her. Calls like that really affect the team. There are numerous support networks available to help staff deal with tough incidents. “We’re a very close team and help each other both during and after calls. “There are always a lot of experienced people in the group, working alongside trainees and new staff to help every step of the way.”
They are the unseen frontline. Lives have been saved by their calm advice ALASDAIR HAY