Evening Times - January 15, 2009
Some of the E Mail comments
I Agree with Mr Parsonage he should be allowed to rescue people from the river again he saves 1500 lives in 25 years only for health & safety to stick its 2 fingers up at him, to Glasgow this man is a hero. I say let him continue to be that hero and let him do his job again!!
Ah, the great god of Health & Safety again!
Remember when we relied on common sense?
George and his late father performed a great service for our city and if the authorities had a modicum of sense, they would use his invaluable experience and work with him.
George: don't let them get you down!
George Parsonage has a great record of rescue on the Clyde and should certainly be involved with Strathclyde Fire and Rescue when these incidents occur.
Health and safety laws can be altered or consigned to the dustbin, as can the faceless beaurocrats who come up with them. -The name Parsonage is a legend in Glasgow, and has been for over fifty years. -
George Parsonage should be accorded all the help and back-up he needs. -Not hindrance!
Recall seeing the documentary a few years ago about the service George provided in the Clyde and all the people he has saved, surely this deserves some kind of involvement, also the man deserves a medal as in my eyes he’s a hero...don’t give up George the people of Glasgow need you
Surely one man living by the river bank is much better than three guys taking a risky high speed drive through city streets. If Mr Parsonage can get there quicker surely this may give people a better chance of living.
When will we ever learn, I was brought up in Glasgow in the fifties and marvelled at the exploits of George’s father Ben. Ben should be honoured for his efforts.
Knew George many years back when I rowed at Glasgow Argonauts. A great man. What a tragedy H+S issues are more important than saving lives.
Only Polmadie and Knightswood cover from the weir to the Erskine Bridge, Renfrew do not have a boat.
Also when SFR Control at Johnstone receive a call for a water rescue on this stretch of the Clyde a crew from Polmadie can be mobilised from Polmadie fire station and the boat launched from the Nautical
College in 12 to 15 minutes. This is not to bad when you consider that the crew has to travel from Calder Street to the college, get suited up and launch the boat. I believe that the Fire Service would like to have a permanently manned boat station at the new Nautical College that is being proposed but as with all things in life "money" and not the need to get help to people quicker will be the deciding factor in this decision.
The health and safety brigade are again causing an unnecessary divide between Glasgow’s Human Society, and Fire & Rescue Services.
The skills of George Parsonage are again being brushed aside, unreasonably when his level of experience, and expertise should be brought on board by Fire Officers, not swept aside……………………When is this man going to get the recognition, and the working partnership he deserves?
Why can't the fire service work with George Parsonage, his knowledge of the Clyde garnered over many years has to be of some use to the rescue services. And what happens when the fire service are at a major fire and cannot man the rescue boat?
What George Parsonage proves is that it doesn't always have to come down to money, and power, as with a speedboat versus a rowing boat.
It's merely about using his knowledge, being at the right place, at the right time and, putting his wealth of knowledge of the Clyde to practice.
Perhaps we need to get a petition for Parsonage to have him given the training to operate / man a speedboat provided to him by Fire & Rescue Services - especially if - like thomasb378 says: what happens when the fire service are at a major fire a cannot man the rescue boat?
I'm sure the health & safety brigade didn't consider that undersight.
Health & Safety laws mean this great man can't be called out…………..Yet again it seems the PC brigade has won the day & the result is more than likely that more lives are being lost than before. Not very sensible, is it?
It’s obvious that George or indeed anyone should be allowed to try and save lives!
Maritime Law will tell you how to be safe, how to steer your boat to avoid collision etc but it also has a rider that says something along the lines of whatever the rules say, do what you need to avoid an accident………….Bit of common sense please.
Lets look at it another way, irrespective of the reasons people end up potentially drowning, and freezing to death in the River Clyde, if any one of us were the victim here, including Glasgow City’s Councillors - which would they / we rather happened ?
It's not about who rescues us, what method is used, or who the rescuer happens to be employed by?
It's about the time factor, and time is precious when someone is potentially drowning, and freezing to death in an ice cold river.
Even Fire & Rescue Services cannot always respond in time, and launch their boat in time, so if George Parsonage is there first for god’s sake let’s get this ridiculous "Health & Safety" nonsense sorted out, and as Harry rightly mentions the issue of getting an insurance policy to cover George Parsonage (should he even want such cover.)
The next story will be George Parsonage charged with interfering with the know all's …………….the guy might have lived if he didnae need to wait to see the me maws ----time for an uprising………………………..
Very good why would someone who wanted to kill themselves do it in the city centre, they would go somewhere quiet.
I wish everyone would stop all the carry on and let George, his assistants and the many volunteers of the Society get on with the good work they can do. George you are not alone Glasgow is behind you and so should the City Council and Police be too.
Reinstate--employ officers—modernise--work in partnership—2014--Let Glasgow Flourish!
Mr Parsonage! Continue with the work you and your father have done for decades and ignore these health and safety idiots, Because its very clear people are gona continue to die if you don’t.
If it ain’t broke.....Then do not fix it, leave well alone.
There is always someone who is mean, nasty and sees the worst in everyone else. Some people only do things for money and cannot understand the concept of Public Service.