Mid and West Wales fire crews have warned managers that lives are at serious risk over plans to replace 14 fire engines with commercial vans carrying a reduced firefighting capability. The vans – adapted Mercedes Sprinters called Rural Response Pumps – don’t have enough water in their tank to put out a fire in a single room in a house.
Fire crews have been told if they are first to arrive at a fire in a van they will have to wait for normal size pumping appliances to arrive before they can enter a burning building, even if people are inside. This could take between 15 and 30 minutes, putting the lives of firefighters and the public at risk.
The union has accused managers of multiple breaches of health and safety legislation and the Welsh Government’s standards on responses to dwelling fires. The union has served a Safety Critical Notice and called for an urgent review.
As well as 9 other stations, the vans will shortly replace proper pumping appliances in Port Talbot, Morriston and Milford Haven all of which have major industrial risks as well as domestic ones. The new vans have only a quarter the water capacity of proper fire engines and a very limited number of hoses.
The FBU Regional Secretary for Wales, Chris Howells, said: “These vans have very limited firefighting capability compared to what they are replacing. They do not have the firefighting capability on board to immediately deploy fire crews into a developed property fire even if people are trapped.
“Fire crews have been told they will have to wait outside a burning building until a proper fire engine arrives with enough water to suppress the fire and start rescues if needs be.”
“When firefighters see people trapped in a burning building they will be under huge pressure to enter and attempt rescues at enormously increased risk. That is why they have to arrive with enough personnel and equipment to take immediate offensive action, not to stand around outside.”
“There will be intolerable pressure on incident commanders leaving them vulnerable if anything goes wrong. These vans do not even have enough water to stop the spread of fire to other buildings.”
“Managers have foolishly stated that you only need half a bucket of water to put out most house fires these days! In 28 years of service I have never been able to put out a house fire with half a bucket of water, it takes far more than that I can tell you. This just goes to show how out of touch with the front line they really are!”
“Fireman Sam would not run Pontypandy fire station like this never mind the whole of Mid and West Wales. This is wrong and there needs to be an immediate review to assess the risks fully and respond to them.”
