Notice to IFESA Members from John Kidd

(Supporting documents can be viewed below)

I would like to wish you all a Happy and Safe New Year.

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.

See attached letter s

Further correspondences w ere again sent to the Health and Safety Authority on the 15th of December 2011.See attached letter

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.

Supporting Documents:

DK LG Lr Mr John Tierney re Self Contained Breating Apparatus 04.01.12

Letter to HSA 15 12 11-4 BA members email version

Letter to HSA 7 12 11

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