Return of specialist firefighters to tackle terrorist attacks
FIRE CHIEF WELCOMES ‘IMPORTANT DAY’ AS LONG-RUNNING DISPUTE IS RESOLVED
FIREFIGHTERS specially trained to respond to terrorist-style attacks have been reintroduced in Greater Manchester after a long-running dispute.
The resumption of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s ‘marauding terrorism attack’ capability has been welcomed by the service’s chief fire officer.
The M.E.N. reported two years ago that the team was disbanded and equipment like specialist vehicles and ballistic protection gear removed from a number of stations.
The latest development emerged at the Manchester Arena public inquiry, which is currently examining the response of the emergency services to the terror attack that left 22 people dead in May, 2017.
The inquiry was told that all ‘specialist responder training has been completed on a tri−service basis with Greater Manchester Police and North West Ambulance Service.’ The capability was restored last Thursday.
In the years before the attack, there was a dispute between government and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) over the role of firefighters in the event of a terrorist incident, the public inquiry was told.
It centred on whether firefighters were contractually obliged to respond to marauding terrorist firearms attacks – MTFAs. The dispute hadn’t been resolved by the time of the Arena attack.
The FBU told its members if they did respond to incidents, it would be on a voluntary basis.
The situation led to the local FBU withdrawing the fire service’s specialist capabilities and the inquiry heard that in February 2019, a Manchester fire service boss wrote to the Home Office to say GMFRS could no longer provide a ‘full MTFA capability.’
There was a specialist MTFA team in 2017 at the time of the attack, on a voluntary basis, but those firefighters weren’t sent in to the Arena – a decision which is being examined at the inquiry.
The fire service didn’t attend the scene for more than two hours.
On MTFA, Andy Dark, assistant general secretary of the FBU, said: “Our people should be properly trained. “And it should be all firefighters.” But in March 2020, the FBU and GMFRS made a request for external support to settle the dispute and there was subsequently a collective agreement, the inquiry heard.
No further details were revealed. The specialist teams are trained in operating in terrorism incidents and treating bomb blast and gunshot casualties.
GMFRS Chief Fire Officer Dave Russel said the resumption marked an ‘important day’ for the service.
He said: “The reintroduction of an MTA capability enables us to provide extra capacity and capability to deal with terrorist-type threats.
“This is a positive step forward as we work hard to continue to protect the people of Greater Manchester.
“I would like to thank all staff involved in helping us deliver this.”