Crewing Levels

Recent IRMP proposals have clearly demonstrated Fire Authorities’ willingness to compromise existing safe operating procedures in the pursuance of financial savings. A typical example of this has been proposals to reduce normal crewing levels to four riders. This Conference reaffirms its commitment that fire appliances responding as the pre-determined initial response to incidents that may require the use of breathing apparatus (BA) teams, must under normal circumstances be crewed with five riders to ensure that adequate BA entry control procedures are implemented. In addition, and in light of these recent attacks on firefighters safety, this Conference instructs the Executive Council to make representation at national level, to ensure that guidance governing BA safe operating procedures, as detailed in Technical Bulletin 1/97, are not compromised and that Fire Authorities IRMP’s adhere to national standards.