IFESA Page

05/01/2012

*** URGENT HEALTH & SAFETY NOTICE DUBLIN FIRE BRIGADE ***

Dear IFESA Member,

It is unfortunate that the first correspondences to IFESA members for 2012 is of such grave importance. Since the introduction of the SCOTT ACSf/ACSfx Self-contained Breathing Apparatus into Dublin Fire Brigade in October 2011 we have had concerns about these sets introduction and procedures in place.We had received information of various incidents that have occurred.

Please contact us if you have had any incidents with the sets.

On receipt of these incident we wrote to the Chief Executive Officer of the Health and Safety Authority on the 8th of December 2011. Further correspondences were again sent to the Health and Safety Authority on the 15th of December 2011.

See attached letter (LINKS)

Letter to Workplace Contact Unit Health and Safety Authority

Letter to Chief Executive Officer Health & Safety Authority

Since writing these letters there has been further incidents of where unexplained occurrences happened while the BA set was in use at a fires.Fire Fighters have experienced at these incidents their face mask collapsing onto their face.The exact cause is still undetermined but we believe we know what the issue is potentially. Today we have written to the City Manager, Chief Fire Officer and H&S Authority in relation to this issue. We await a response by close of business .See attached letter.

We await to see if DFB had reported all these incidents to the H&S Authority as they are statutorily obliged to do and if they have informed SCOTT of such occurrences and when they did. The time line to these events is very important. We will be questioning why their was such a slow response from DFB when the first incident happen in October where they trying to sweep it under the carpet?

If DCC fail to address IFESA concerns this will see action taken by IFESA to ensure that the Health & Safety of its members and other Fire Fighters is protected.We will notify members of this potential action in due course. We have contacting our Global Alliance members informing them of this critical H&S issues. This was done in case any other Brigade is using this type of set or regulator.


These incidents and failure have the potential to KILL a Fire Fighter. We will not rest till these issues are resolved.

In the mean time as an interim measure,


We would ask all Fire Fighters to ensure that they know how to use the "Buddy Buddy" system on the set in the dark as this may save your life.If you are unsure request your Station Officer that training in it use is required and for a copy of the DFB procedure of using this device.

Keep safe out there.

Regards

John Kidd

Chairperson
Irish Fire & Emergency Services Association.

23/11/2011

30 fire fighters in Roscommon removed from payroll, Co. Roscommon

Up to 30 fire-fighters in Roscommon have now been removed from the Payroll. 13 were scheduled to undergo a breathing apparatus refresher course today, but did not attend and the County Council says it had no option but to take them off the payroll. 14 fire fighters in the county were suspended on Monday after they refused to take part in a refresher breathing apparatus training course, which was revised last year, to include participants being marked on competency.

A conciliation conference between SIPTU and the Local Government Management Services Board reached an interim agreement on the marking issue yesterday - clarifying that an assessment will not take place at any training course across the country, for now. Roscommon County Council says it will be implementing the provisions of the national agreement at local level, however it has still not yet confirmed if it is to reinstate the staff it stood down on Monday.

The group due to attend this morning, are unhappy that their colleagues were not reinstated. Their union says they could not attend, and it was not fair to expect them to do so, given that their colleagues were continuing to be punished. As a result of their failure to attend, Roscommon County Council has now taken them off the payroll.

The Council is assuring members of the public that it is in a position to deal with any emergencies that may arise. Arrangements are in place with neighbouring Fire Authorities and arrangements are also in place to mobilise the Defence Forces to provide assistance if required. Roscommon County Council is in ongoing contact with the Labour Relations Commission with a view to resolving the issue.

www.shannonside.ie

21st November 2011

25% of Firefighters stood down by Roscommon County Council

****News Flash****

IFESA has been informed that nearly 25% of the total number of operational Fire Fighter in Roscommon County have been stood down by Roscommon County Council from duty and taken off the payroll this morining over a dispute regarding BA PASS/FAIL course. They are not available to turn out to any calls.By Wednesday this number is expected to increase to 40% if the County Council continues on this course of action.

The citizens of Roscommon lives are being put a risk yet again by the actions of the County Council.Elected representives of Roscommon ,Leitrim need to stand up and be counted and have a real look at what is going on. IFESA will be supporting its Roscommon members in what ever way possible in the coming days weeks.

Its time to take a stand and fight back in what we belive in. We will also be liasing with National Retained FireFighter Association (NRFA) on a course of action and will provide what ever support is requested of us by them we will stand together as Fire Fighter both Full and Part Time.More info to follow.

IFESA Facebook

18th November 2011

Firefighter association warns of 'huge wastage' in service

Firefighters have said that there are "huge levels of wastage" in the fire service. The Irish Fire and Emergency Service Association is organising a protest at Dáil Eireann this afternoon. Chairman of the IFESA, John Kidd, has said the service needs a radical overhaul.

Mr Kidd said: "We believe there is a chance here for change, we believe the Irish public have a right to understand what is going on, it is their fire service, not mine. "They closed three part-time stations in county Offaly to save €100,000. The insurance in that part of county Offaly for all households and businesses went up by €1.7m, yet there are seven assistant chiefs for five part-time stations."

24th September 2011

IFESA: A quarter of firefighters could quit over welfare dispute – union, Ireland

Over a quarter of Ireland’s firefighters could be forced to quit their jobs if the Department of Social Welfare decides to cut welfare payments for part-time staff, a staff union has warned. The Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association says part-time firefighters are being denied jobseeker’s payments because their positions as firefighters mean they are limited in the jobs they can take on.

As a result, IFESA has warned that the country’s 800 part-time firefighters – who make up well over a quarter of the national fire services, which are already short-staffed – may be forced to give up their positions. The disputes have arisen because local fire services require staff to live and work within five minutes of their station, but welfare officers believe this restriction hampers their ability to find other work.

“If the Department was to take away those welfare payments, then [part-time staff] might as well be paid the minimum wage,” IFESA’s John Kidd said. “When doctors and nurses are on call, they’re on the half-hourly rate.” Kidd said the problem had been raised by a part-time firefighter who had moved from Kildare – which is only serviced by part-time officers – to Drogheda, hoping to get a full-time position in the service there.

Social welfare inspectors in Louth, however, said that the officer’s part-time role in Louth meant he was not available to take on other employment – leaving the firefighter to lose their benefits, which were restored on appeal. The matter was raised in a parliamentary question by Gerry Adams, who was told by Social Protection minister Joan Burton that the department could not introduce special arrangements for firefighters without raising equity issues for other claimants. Burton said, however, that a group had been formed within her department to examine the position of part-time firefighters.

Kidd – who is running as an independent candidate in the Dublin West by-election – said the cost to the exchequer of losing those staff, both in terms of hiring replacements and in social welfare costs, was prohibitive. It cost €15,000 to train each firefighter, he said, and removing a part-time staff member’s benefit would mean the State having to pay even more to each person in terms of social welfare.

By comparison, part-time firefighters are paid €1 an hour for each hour they are on call – a total of €168 per week. IFESA has also called for a nationally organised fire service, which it says could reduce national fire expenditure by around 20 per cent.

www.thejournal.ie

IFESA Rally, Dublin 23 Sept 2011

The IFESA held their first official rally outside Irish Government Buildings on Friday 23 Sept. They wanted to send a message to the Irish Government to STOP the cuts on the Irish Fire Services.

Colleagues from Northern Ireland as well as colleagues from the country where also in attendance with messages of support also sent from Australia, New Zealand, Europe & a video message from Harold A.Schaitberger ,General President, International Association of Fire Fighters.

Remembered at the rally with a minutes silence & video tribute where SO Brian Murray & FF Mark O Shaughnessy from Bray, Co. Wicklow who made the Ultimate Sacrifice whilst operating at a disused factory fire 4years ago Monday 26st Sept.

A BIG well done to all who turned up & those involved in setting up the rally