TWO fire and rescue services have been reported to the government for a policy which a union claims could see firefighters sent into fires with their breathing equipment turned off.

The Fire Brigades Union has reported Hampshire and Isle of Wight, plus Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Services to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in a letter published today.

The policy change involves instructing firefighters to go beyond the point of safe air with their breathing equipment turned off in high-rise building fires, in a move which the union say breaks health and safety law.

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Riccardo la Torre, Fire Brigades Union national officer, said: "This procedure is unsafe, unlawful and unprofessional, and puts firefighters and the public at greater risk.

"It tears up half a century of health and safety law, best practice guidance, manufacturers’ instructions, and firefighter training.

"It will not make living and working in high rise buildings safer or tackle the wider crisis in building safety. It simply puts firefighters and residents at greater risk."

The new practices were put forward by the National Fire Chiefs Council last year, sparking outrage from firefighters across the region.

According to the policy, firefighters are to turn on their breathing apparatus only if a gas monitor alarm is activated, and return to ‘clean air’ – but the Fire Brigades Union argues this would be too late and doesn’t allow firefighters time to don their breathing apparatus or escape to safety.

When the policy was first launched, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service said that the policy change would not prove a risk to firefighters.

It stated that firefighters working outside the confines of a restricted stairwell would still use their breathing apparatus.

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Speaking last September, Chief fire officer Neil Odin said: "The safety of our firefighters and the public is our primary concern and any suggestion that we would put people at risk is wrong.

"We are currently introducing and developing a procedure on fires in tall buildings which is fully compliant with national guidelines. This procedure has been designed to secure escape routes for the public and our crews from a fire in a high-rise building.

"HIWFRS has offered engagement with the Fire Brigades Union since the very beginning."

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