Firefighters Turn On The Heat

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There was a confrontation between members of the Fire Service Association and acting Chief Fire Officer John Springle late yesterday, as firefighters attempted to evacuate a dilapidated fire sub-station building at Lady Hailes Avenue, San Fernando. The officers planned to operate from under a tent in the station’s front yard, but Springle thwarted their plans. Around 4 pm, they were seen washing down the yard and transferring their desks, chairs and bunk beds to under a shed where the fire appliances were parked.

Springle arrived around 4.10 pm with a team and demanded to know why the firefighters were removing the station’s property. Springle asked reporters who gave them permission to be on the station compound. Association president Charles Ramsaroop interjected saying the media was invited by the association and firefighters were no longer working from inside the dilapidated “asbestos-filled” building. Committee member Jason Bertrand explained that the station had no emergency exit. “The station’s staircase is missing,” he said, adding: “We have no rails...It is a hazard in there.”

Even worse, Bertrand said, the thick black smoke from the incinerator of the San Fernando General Hospital billowed downwind and affected the heath of fire officers. Springle, however, would hear none of it. He accused the association of failing to follow protocol, saying they had failed to inform acting Fire Station Officer Narace Rampersad of their action. Springle accused the association of being irresponsible, saying their action was uncalled for as their issues were being addressed. He said asbestos tests were conducted by the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (Cariri) last Wednesday and they were awaiting a response.

Saying the association had shown no patience or tolerance, Springle said: “We have spoken to the Mayor of San Fernando to find an alternative site to relocate. “We identified a site on Carib Street, but this was later found to be not adequate and a proposal was made to construct a prefabricated building to house the officers,” he said. He added that officers were acting as if nothing was being done to alleviate their concerns. He then instructed officers to remove the furniture from outside. They complied and returned to their base.

Association executive Ancel Lemessy, however, said Springle’s orders were illegal as firefighters had the right to refuse to work in an environment that is hazardous to their lives. He said the firefighters had exercised patience as they had been waiting to be relocated from the dilapidated building since 2003. Lemessy said in August last year, they raised the issues of asbestos and even offered to pay Cariri to do tests. He said, however, that nothing was done to alleviate concerns.

Source: http://guardian.co.tt/news/

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