North firefighters may break strike in emergency

Firefighters in Northern Ireland today held out the possibility of breaking their strike if a full-scale emergency occurs during the 48-hour stoppage.

Around 500 military personnel are in place ready to take on firefighting duties when the industrial action begins later.

The men and the army’s fleet of 32 Green Goddesses – painted yellow for service in Northern Ireland – have been dispersed to six points around the Greater Belfast area and eight more across the province.

But Fire Brigade Union spokesman Jim Barbour admitted officers would study every alert.

He said: “We have never let the public in Northern Ireland down yet and we have no intention of letting the public down in future.”

Due to the situation in the province and the likelihood of attacks on military firefighters, another 500 troops will support them in what is being described as “escort and protection” duties.

There are real concerns among military chiefs that – as during the 1977 fire strike when troops took over – they could become targets for hotheads and that they could be called out specifically to be attacked.

The 500 chosen troops have been specially trained in firefighting techniques and the use of the Green Goddesses and amongst their number are full-time RAF firefighters normally based at military airports.

They have special training in rescue using breathing apparatus.

The military personnel arrived back in Northern Ireland last night, after being returned to mainland Britain when the first strike was called off last month.

A spokesman at Army Headquarters at Lisburn, Co Antrim said they would not pretend they could replace normal Fire Service operations.

“We are very much alive to the fact we are providing an emergency service in an emergency situation,” he said.

But he said experience had shown the military teams and their aged Green Goddesses could be effective.

During the 1977 strike and again two years ago when they provided a service in Merseyside, there had been no deaths as a result of failures of the military crews, he said.

As well as the six Belfast bases – five at military camps and one at a police station – military firefighters have been sent to Derry, Coleraine in Co Derry, Ballymena, Co Antrim, Omagh, Co Tyrone, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Portadown, Co Armagh, Bessbrook in South Armagh and Ballykinlar, near Newcastle Co Down.