Fire station without a pole

[Standard Dave]

While this has little to do with Polcing I thought you guys and gals might find it amusing.

Fire bosses hit back in pole row

The new £2.1m Greenbank fire station was opened officially in July
Fire chiefs in Devon have hit back at claims they built a new station without a pole for health and safety reasons.
The 52 firefighters at the new £2.1m Greenbank fire service HQ, in Plymouth, have to run down two flights of stairs to get to their engines.

It was reported the pole was left out for fear of officers slipping on it, hurting their knees and ankles.

But a spokeswoman for Devon Fire and Rescue Service said there was no room for a pole in the station.

Bernard Hughes, Fire Service Authority chairman, said on Friday that everything in the fire service was now governed by risk assessment.

When you join the fire service it's the image you have in your head

Trevor French, FBU


Tell BBC Devon what you think
But the spokeswoman said on Saturday: "The reason it was omitted was down to a lack of space.

"It doesn't mean the next station we build won't have a pole."

A Fire Brigades Union (FBU) spokesman said: "Yesterday it was about health and safety.

"They made a statement saying they had carried out a risk assessment.

"Clearly someone has made a big mistake."

He added he believed using stairs wasted time and was just as dangerous.

'Silliest stories'

Trevor French, the Devon representative of the FBU, said there have been complaints in the station about the lack of a pole.

"When you join the fire service it's the image you have in your head that when you have your first shout you are going to slide down the pole.

"It's very disappointing for the new recruits," he said.

Firefighters moved into the new station in June this year and it was officially opened in July.

'Iconic symbol'

Devon's Chief Fire Officer Paul Young said: "This is one of the silliest stories I have heard in a long time and one that has been blown out of all proportion.

"Devon Fire and Rescue Service took the decision regarding the design of Greenbank fire station in full consultation with the unions and health and safety representatives.

"Whilst every consideration regarding health and safety was taken into account, the reason that a pole was not included was purely due to space restrictions."

The traditional pole has been used in fire stations since Victorian times and was described by the FBU spokesman as an "iconic symbol" which is also "useful and very important".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/5248250.stm


edited to include the link

[conalabu]

Sick. Pole dancing firemen. Yet another reason not to be a smoke chaser.

[Standard Dave]

Sick. Pole dancing firemen. Yet another reason not to be a smoke chaser.

If you had meet Emma who works at the station near me you would be infavour of pole dancing firefighters. Althought the guys I'm not so keen on seeing.

[Willowdared]

The pole....

I heard the whole reason for the fire pole stems from the days when the fire wagons were horse drawn....and the firefighters slept in the hay loft! Seems the horses would come up the stairs when they got hungry!