By Alan Wilson

TAYSIDE FIRE and Rescue Service’s new first response unit, the combined aerial rescue pump (CARP), will be unable to access more than 100 streets in Dundee, The Fire Brigades Union has claimed.

In addition, the FBU say firefighters believe the machines are “unsuitable and notoriously unreliable” and too slow to be used as a first response unit.

Tayside Chief Fire Officer Stephen Hunter described the union’s claims as “scare- mongering” and “spurious,” however, and says Tayside’s new machine has a superior technical specification to CARPs currently in use across Scotland and can therefore outperform them.

Jim Malone, Tayside branch secretary of the FBU says firefighters are also worried about safety issues surrounding the new machine—intended to be used as the first unit to attend all fires in the region—after six firefighters were seriously injured last year when one of the machines toppled while attending a false alarm in Hamilton.

Firefighters across Scotland say there are huge doubts over the unit’s suitability to be the main response pump, claiming its maximum speed would be severely reduced when negotiating inclines and its ability to access tight roads would be limited due to its size and weight.

Tayside Fire and Rescue announced last week that the “new technology” would be introduced to firefighters over the next year, with that and other “natural wastage” resulting in the loss of 16 jobs.

The introduction of the engine alone would result in eight posts being lost.

Mr Hunter unveiled the fire engine’s capabilities to members of the joint fire board last week, while concerned firefighters demonstrated against the job cuts and the engine’s introduction in Dundee’s City Square.

FBU branch secretary Jim Malone told The Courier last night, “There are dozens of streets in central Dundee that we will be unable to access with the combined aerial rescue pump.

“This type of fire engine is not new technology as the chief fire officer has indicated. Grampian Fire and Rescue were the first in Scotland to purchase one five years ago and its introduction was disastrous.

“This appliance has been mothballed in Elgin.

“We in Tayside have the best Workshop Department in Scotland and I am sure the technical specifications will give Tayside the best appliance possible.

“However the fundamental technical problems inherent in this type of fire engine will place a restrictive burden on Tayside Fire and Rescue.”

Among the areas pinpointed by the union as being inaccessible are Ninewells Accident and Emergency Department from Tom McDonald Avenue, the rear of Harris Academy, Royal Victoria Hospital via Jedburgh Road, Dundee Rep and the West Park Centre.

The union now believes that the new machine would be best utilised outwith Dundee city centre and is to present its proposals in a consultation document, Making Tayside Safer.

“Now that TF&R have purchased this CARP we must look to where it would be best suited for service delivery,” he said.

“The FBU do not think that Dundee city centre is the proper location for the CARP, the topography does not lend itself to having the CARP as its first machine.

“The Fire Brigades Union is the professional voice of firefighters and we will continue to demonstrate the need for improvements in public and firefighter safety and the need for a coherent integrated approach to fire service delivery in the 21st century.”

Mr Malone produced a list of city centre streets which, the union say, the CARP will not be able to negotiate.

“This list is not exhaustive, many other streets will present crews with great problems.

“The weight of this appliance is over 24 tons and drivers currently accessing properties by driving on pavements will be unable to do so as utilities are carried in ducting through all pavements.

All bridges over the railway line are also out of bounds due to weight restrictions. This list is only for the city area, as over 100 other Dundee streets are inaccessible with this appliance.”

Chief Fire Officer Hunter said that, contrary to the union’s claims, the increased technical specification of Tayside’s new machine meant it was superior to any other CARP in use in Scotland.

He said the union’s claims of its speed and manoeuvrability were based on the current aerial ladder platform while the new pump is smaller than that, has the same turning circle as a normal pump, has rear-wheel steering and has a larger and more efficient engine than CARPs across Scotland.

He said, “It compares favourably to the performance and manoeuvrability of the rescue pumps we currently operate from fire stations across Tayside.

“This scare-mongering by the FBU is merely part of their campaign to retain the eight firefighter posts which will no longer be required when the CARP goes into service at Blackness Road fire station.

“The level of emergency response services we provide, the safety of our communities and the safety of our fire-fighters attending incidents will not be affected by the introduction of these vehicles or the reduction in fire-fighter posts.”

Mr Hunter said the fire service was well aware of the issues firefighters had with the CARPs in use across Scotland but stressed that Tayside’s vehicle was from a different manufacturer. The reliability of the product had been proved.

“Some of the access difficulties are caused by poor parking and we would ask everybody across Tayside to park their vehicles in a way that would allow our vehicles clear access when dealing with incidents,” he said.

The union claims the following streets in the city will be inaccessible to the CARP:

Hillside Rd, Hillside Dr, Hillside Terr, Hillside Pl, Invergowrie Dr (even numbers), access to Ninewells Accident and Emergency from Tom McDonald Ave, access to Ninewells Polyclinic from Ninewells Dr, Dee Gdns, Luther Pl, Dighty Gdns, Lochay Pl, Hazel Ave, rear of Harris Academy, Eton St, Cambridge St, Kelso St, Kelso Pl, Royal Victoria Hospital via Jedburgh Rd, West Park Centre, Muirton Rd, Old Muirton Rd, Gibbs Lane, Pleasance Ct, Lower Pleasance, Seabraes Lane, Tay Square, Dundee Rep Theatre, Discovery Quay Travel Lodge and Restaurant, Forrester St, BT Building, Soapwork Lane, Constitution Terr, Union Terr, Prospect Pl, Laurel Bank, South George St, Forebank St, Ellen St, Balgay Hill, William St, Cotton Rd, Osbourne Pl, Seafield Lane, Bottom stretch of Seafield Rd, Glenagnes St, Birchwood Pl, Ashbank Rd, Lime St, Elm St, Eassons Angle, Colington Pl, Pentland Cres, Smalls Lane, Cross Row, Exchange St, Sugarhouse Wynd, Nelson St, Forebank Rd, Lambs Lane, Powrie Pl, Laburn St, Kenmore Terr, Killen Ave, Dudhope house, Peel St and St Mary’s Lane.