Identifying potential challenges faced by organisations involved in firefighting, safety and rescue Fire in High rise buildings, do we have the equipment to respond to these emergencies? Developing and managing emergency national fire response at a national and local level
Establishing effective systems of control and communication in fire emergencies how much responsibility for this lies with county councils? County Councils must ensure the safety, health and welfare at work of its firefighters repercussions for councils and fire services when this duty fails. Dromcollogher cinema Sunday, 5th September 1926
Cocoanut Grove Boston 28th November 1942 St Joseph's Orphanage in Cavan 23rd February 1943 Our Lady of the Angels school Chicago 1st December 1958
Top Storey Club Bolton May 1961 L'Innovation Brussels 22nd May 1967 Summerland the Isle of Man 2nd August 1973
Manchester Woolworths 8th May 1979 Stardust nightclub Dublin 14th February 1981 Joelma Building So Paulo, Brazil 1ST February 1974
Lakanal House in Camberwell London 3rd July 2009 You need to stay in your, in your flat. The fire brigade are on the way to you now. You need to listen, you need to listen to me and Im going to tell you what to do OK. Right, now youre going to be fine because ... Ive told the crews where you are, already
Grenfell Tower London 14th June 2017 112 Bronto Sky Lift
1. An examination of fire and rescue services in all developed countries to determine best practices. 2. A review of all research undertaken since 1990 and an assessment of those items worthy of further consideration. 3. The functions the UK requires of its fire and rescue service (including speed and weight of intervention).
4. Development of standard operating procedures including generic attack plans and the planning process for developing building/incident specific attack plans necessary to fulfil the functions determined at 3. 5. A complete overhaul of all technical publications targeted at the minimum essential knowledge required of each operational level from Firefighter to Incident Commander (Incident Commander the person in charge of all functions on an incident ground; not a
Gold Commander). 6. The optimum size of fire and rescue services and the establishment of boundaries based on operational considerations and not on political boundaries as at present. 7. The optimum size of sub-divisions of operational boundaries. 8. The number and type of appliances and equipment necessary for a fire and rescue
service to fulfil the functions determined at 3. 9. The number and qualities of operational personnel required to staff the appliances at 8. 10. The number and qualities of personnel required as operational officers. 11. The number and qualities of personnel required for other functions. 12. The number and type of specialist teams.
13. The qualifications necessary for each function and each role. of the UK and US military. 15. The initial, continuation and progression training required for each function and each role. 16. Duty systems.
17. Research co-ordinated between fire and rescue services so there is no duplication and no gaps. 18. Detailed statistics that inform on injuries and deaths of firefighters. 19. Detailed statistics that inform on property saved/passive and active fire safety/ cost of fire safety and cost of fire and rescue services. 20. A competent independent inspectorate
21. Costings. Firefighter deaths Leos Supermarket Bristol February 1996 one firefighter Zephaniah Way, Blaina, South Wales, February 1996 two firefighters Gorteen House Hotel, Limavady, Northern Ireland November 2003 one firefighter
Bethnal Green Road, London July 2004 - two firefighters 85 Harrow Court, Stevenage, Hertfordshire February 2005 - two firefighters Marlie Farm, The Broyle, Lewes, East Sussex December 2006 - two firefighters Wealmoor (Atherstone) Ltd, Warwickshire November 2007 - four firefighters Balmoral Bar, 178 Dalry Road, Edinburgh July 2009 - one firefighter Shirley Towers, Church Street, Southampton April 2010 - two firefighters
Paul's Hair World, Oldham Street, Manchester July 2013 - one firefighter Firefighter S Morris: 55% burns to body; amputations of all fingers and thumbs (to varying degrees) of both hands; hearing loss in both ears, including total loss in right ear; may have suffered a minor stroke due to oxygen
deprivation, resulting in neurological damage; complicated fracture of left elbow Firefighter M Lewis: Burns to neck, both lower arms and wrists Firefighter M McCourt: Burns to both lower arms and hands
Identifying potential challenges faced by organisations involved in firefighting, safety and rescue Not learning from mistakes Fire in High rise buildings, do we have the equipment to respond to these emergencies?
If the buildings have an acceptable fire safety standard there is no need for additional equipment Developing and managing emergency national fire response at a national and local level There is a demonstrable need for a complete, objective and transparent review of the Fire and Rescue Service by a multi-disciplined team
Establishing effective systems of control and communication in fire emergencies how much responsibility for this lies with county councils? Decisions made on sound professional arguments are defendable but the ultimate responsibility lies with Councils County Councils must ensure the safety, health and welfare at work of its firefighters repercussions for councils and fire services when this duty fails.
In the UK there is evidence of increasing numbers of firefighter fatalities and life changing injuries If the fault is because of equipment, procedures, training or ineffectual command the Council (in the form of its officers) will answer in criminal or civil court
