Firefighters claim breathing aids are failing repeatedly

Dublin Fire Brigade has been ordered to appear in the High Court tomorrow to defend breathing equipment that firefighters assert is failing repeatedly and putting their lives at risk.

Firefighters claim a 20 per cent failure rate in particular breathing equipment, which has been in service since October 2011. Firefighters describe breathing equipment as one of their most important tools.

In the High Court yesterday, Mr Justice Paul Gilligan granted Dublin firefighters a short notice, under which fire brigade management is expected to argue in court why an injunction should not be granted against their continued use of the equipment.

The short notice was granted on foot of submissions from the Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association which says it represents some 300 fire fighters currently employed by Dublin City Council, the defendants in the action.

In an affidavit, association chairman John Kidd said his union had been trying, but failing, to get Dublin fire service management to investigate a series of failings with the breathing equipment.

He was aware of repeated equipment failings in the Dublin service, other services in Ireland and fire services in Britain as well.

The equipment at issue is the Scott ACSFX BA, described by manufacturers US- based Scott Safety as its "flagship" advanced carrying system breathing apparatus.

According to the association, however, between October 2011 and January 2012, 60 breathing apparatus sets failed and were taken out of service.

Mr Kidd referred also to “eight unexplained occurrences up to January 2012 where a reduced flow of air or masks collapsing into the face occurred”.

He said that in 2012, there were 20 such failures of equipment, seven requiring mandatory reporting to the Health and Safety Authority. Last year, Mr Kidd said there were five incidents, three of which were reported to the HSA.

Yesterday's action was precipitated by an incident on January 5th in which the breathing equipment of two firefighters, Geoff Tracey and Danny Fitzpatrick, failed while they were dealing with a blaze in Dolphin's Barn, Dublin.

An experienced safety representative said the incident was “very close to disastrous”, Mr Kidd swore in his affidavit.

Mr Justice Gilligan set aside time tomorrow to hear the application from the fire and emergency services association.