UP IN SMOKE!
By ATWadmin On July 31st, 2009It’s one of those odd stories.
Police were today investigating a blaze which has caused hundreds of thousands of pounds of damage and destroyed a Co Down fire station.
Firefighters were forced to stand helplessly by as their station in Rathfriland was engulfed in flames during the overnight blaze. Two fire appliances were also destroyed in the fire.
Fire and Rescue Service area commander Don McKay said that contingency measures are in place to ensure there is adequate fire cover in the area. Local firefighters received an emergency call at around 4am this morning but when they arrived at the station they realised it was their own building that was ablaze.
So, what did they actually do?
Due to health and safety reasons they were unable to enter the building to access equipment to fight the flames. Emergency crews from Newry were called to the scene to help control the fire.
Got that? Because of “health and safety reasons” Fireman stood by and watched their Fire Station go up in a cloud of smoke.
Is there any evidence at this stage as to whether or not this was arson
Is it possible that there are people with such low brain activity that would think it a good idea to burn down a fire station ?
Why weren’t they in or near the fire house to begin with?
And how many times has ‘Health & Safety’ resulted not only in destruction of property, but also loss of life. The twits who think up some of this legislation want locking up. I can clearly remember when a child drowned as Police Officers looked on for what I think were similar reasons.
Why weren’t they in or near the fire house to begin with?
Are you crazy…let people on site in a firestation… health and safety laws would surely prevent people being on the premises of a fire station what with all those big trucks going in and out so fast.. heavy machinery onsite…and big tall towers where people could easily fall out of.. and then there are those holes in the upper floors where someone could fall through…. a health and safety nightmare
Got that? Because of "health and safety reasons" Fireman stood by and watched their Fire Station go up in a cloud of smoke.
So the firemen decide not to enter a burning building without their firefighting and safety equipment. Seems like a smart move by the firemen. Burnt buildings can be rebuilt, dead firemen cannot be brought back to life.
Why weren’t they in or near the fire house to begin with?
Not all fire stations would be manned 24/7, this is a fairly rural area.
Are these firemen volunteers, who work for free?
Or if they are full time, paid firemen, where the hell else were they, if not at the fire house? At home, watching Jerry Springer?
Phantom, Rathfriland is a wee town. It’s population is about 2,000 people. It would cost way too much money to have a permanent prescence in the Fire Stations. So Fireman would be on full duty to say 9pm and then would go home and if there is an emergency they will be called in from home.
OK
It takes five shifts to man the NYC firehouses on a 24/7 basis
FO
Rathfriland sure as hell ain’t NYC – for reasons too numerous to mention.
Their "fire house" is probably an old byre which has been renovated – maybe not even too well.
Firefighters do a very dangerous job, for which they are extensively trained, and I don’t pretend to understand the details of this case but I do know that "Health and safety" is gradually strangling our society.
I have no doubt that we will soon cut down most of our urban street trees because very occasionally one falls and every autumn there are accidents caused by pedestrians slipping on wet leaves. Clearly these trees present an avoidable hazard which any local authority has a duty to deal with in the cause of creating a "risk-free" environment for our citizens. If they fail to do so, they can expect law suits.