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Fire service “needs more investment” to prevent further fatalities among firefighters (3 February 2015)

Date: 03/02/2015
Duncan Lewis, Personal Injury Solicitors, Fire service “needs more investment” to prevent further fatalities among firefighters

A study by the University of Stirling in Scotland has concluded that the fire service should receive more investment, rather be subjected to government cuts.

Lead author of the report, Professor Andrew Watterson, sets out recommendations to address failures which are threatening health and safety in the fire service – as well as suggesting improvements to risk assessment and training.

“Unnecessary deaths happened in avoidable circumstances,” Prof Watterson says in the report.

“Risks were sometimes taken to save property that should not have been.

“Risk assessment and risk management failed in some way and in some form in all the fatalities described here.

“Lessons were not learnt that should have been – deaths could and should have been prevented.”

Prof Watterson has suggested that fire brigades should publish annual reports on fatalities, injuries and near misses in the fire service.

Manchester Evening News reports that fire chiefs are now also calling for action to prevent further deaths among firefighters – ten firefighters have been killed in the line of duty in the last ten years.

The Fire Brigades Union says all risk cannot be removed from the fire service – however, risk to life and injury can be reduced by “positive action” from fire brigades, local and central government, as well as regulatory and inspection bodies.

Matt Wrack – Fire Brigades Union national secretary, said:

“We want this report to focus minds on what can be done to improve public safety and firefighter safety.

“Firefighters should expect to be able to go home to their families after their day’s work – they do not go to work to die.

“We assess the risks and take carefully-planned action to rescue people, to deal with incidents and to make communities safe.

“Our members have the right to demand the best possible procedures, training, equipment and resources to enable us to do our job safely, effectively and professionally. That is not too much to ask.”

However, Mr Wrack added that he feared “radically-reduced budgets” in the Fire Service could might result in more deaths among firefighters.

“This report demonstrates a need for investment, not cuts to the fire and rescue service,” Mr Wrack said.

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors –Firefighters Injured at Work Claims

Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors can advise members of the fire service who have suffered injury in the line of duty as a result of negligence in the service on how to make a no win no fee claim for compensation, including claims relating to:

• Equipment failures (eg lack of maintenance, old equipment)
• Failure in command (eg poor risk assessment)
• Failings in training (eg poor quality training)
• Operational negligence (eg insufficient back up).

Personal injury claimants have three years form the date of injury or diagnosis of injury in which to make a claim for compensation.

Claims can involve injuries during training or while attending a fire – including respiratory damage, fractures, sprains or crush injuries – as well as road traffic accident injuries and life changing or catastrophic injuries such as amputation or head/brain/spinal injury.

In cases where a loved one who was a member of the Fire Service has lost their life as a result of negligence, Duncan Lewis offers sensitive and expert advice to bereaved families who wish to make a Fatal Injuries Claim for compensation.

For expert legal advice on no win no fee Firefighters Injured at Work Claims, call Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors on 020 7923 4020.


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