Emergency system risks lives, say fire crews

LIVES are at risk because of serious problems with a new system of dealing with 999 emergency calls, firefighters warned last night.

SIPTU said fire crews in Cork have catalogued a string of potentially fatal flaws in the new Regional Mobilisation System during its first major trial in an urban area.

The system, which is used mostly in rural areas, was introduced in Cork on May 31 for a three-month trial period with a view to rolling it out nationally.

Emergency calls from the public for the fire service, which were previously handled by local fire crews, are diverted to operators at a centre in Limerick, who alert fire crews in Cork.

SIPTU said the system is flawed and that fire crews have been sent to the wrong locations and have been delayed. The union called last night for an immediate and independent audit of the trial period and a risk assessment by the Health and Safety Authority.

In the most serious incident, fire crews in Cork were mobilised by the Limerick centre when a fire broke out in Clonmel.

Other incidents included:

A fire crew being sent to Carroll's Quay in Cork instead of Kyrl's Quay.

The non-mobilisation of the city's Ballyvolane sub-station to a serious road traffic accident in Glanmire.

The dispatch of fire appliances to two different locations for a traffic accident on the Cork/Bandon road.

SIPTU official Tom O'Driscoll said incorrect addresses on the system have compounded the problems.

It lists Cork University Hospital's address as College Road it is actually two miles away in Wilton.

Fire crews in Cork are "deeply concerned" that lives may be at risk, Mr O'Driscoll said.

He said the main problem was that the operators in Limerick do not have enough specific knowledge of the geography of Cork.

"This is not the fault of the operators but is a natural result of having to deal with information received from an unfamiliar city," he said.

The old system worked very well, he said. However, both systems are now running alongside each other.

"Extra stress for the firefighters who are 'babysitting' a flawed system and the constant rechecking of directions and addresses is sapping morale and confidence," Mr O'Driscoll said.

He said fire crews in Cork are planning to withdraw from the new system soon.

A spokesperson for the fire service management was unavailable for comment last night.

Dublin and Limerick have their own computer mobilisation systems. A similar system is planned for Castlebar.