Sunday Mail - Jan 29, 2006
Rescuers banned from river after dark
A River rescue team cannot operate at night because staff has not been trained how to work boats in the dark.
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue have taken over river rescues from police and invested in £100,000 in new equipment. But because not all fire fighters have received training boats cannot be launched in the dark.
One 22 year old man drowned in the river Clyde after a fire and rescue team from Glasgow’s Polmadie station could not launch their boat. No team member had been trained in rescue swimming so could not dive in to save him.
A Fire Brigade insider said” Lives are being put at risk. The new system was introduced months ago and should have been up and running long since” Kenny Ross Scottish Secretary for the Fire Brigades Union
“Without the training we aren’t going to put members in a dangerous situation and just jump into the water” Strathclyde Fire and Rescue said, “ Night time incidents are dealt with by police divers or firefighters operating from bridges or banks. Our rescue teams are being trained to provide a 24/7 service”.
There are several comments I should like to make about the above.
There should have been a transition period between Glasgow Humane Society and Fire and Rescue before Glasgow Humane Society went “off call”
If F&R had as they stated actually would use the expertise of the GHS, problems would be lessened. The GHS signed up as advisers at F&R request, shortly after they were “off call”. As yet they have not been called upon to give advice.
If as pointed out many years ago, the proper type of boat was used in this transition period, incidents like the above may not have occurred.
It is interesting to read that the Strathclyde Police Underwater Unit will cover night rescue as Strathclyde Police have stated that they will never be a rescue unit. Is this Unit in immediate readiness, is there a “call out time” for this Unit and if so what is the expected “call out” time?
Although GHS Officers have entered the water to complete rescues, this is not GHS policy and indeed Officers are officially not allowed to enter the water. This is a very dangerous procedure and in the opinion of the GHS should not be looked upon as an official procedure. Glasgow Humane Society Officers using boats have carried out thousands of rescues by boat.
Also noted the following
“Army refuse to cover for fire strikers”
“Last night Kenny Ross Scottish Secretary of the Fire Brigade Union said that that an emergency conference on February 16th will decide whether to have a national ballot for strike action which had been recommended by the FBU executive”