Submitted by SWFBU on
22nd April 2013
TO: ALL MEMBERS
Dear Brother / Sister
MARAUDING TERRORISM AND FIREARMS (MTFA)
Events in the USA over the last few months, notably the killing of two volunteer firefighters in the town of Webster in New York state in December, and the more recent bomb incident in Boston alongside the subsequent firearms incident, make it timely for members to be given an update and reminder regarding the UK fire and rescue service position on marauding terrorism and firearms incidents.
As members will be aware, it is the UK government’s intention that the fire and rescue service should have an increased role at such incidents. The same situation is replicated by the governments in the three devolved administrations.
Members will recall that we wrote some time ago to the national employers, informing them that the Fire Brigades Union was open-minded to discussion on the principle of an extended role, but this was very much dependent upon there being the suitable and robust operational procedures, planning and arrangements in place and also appropriate payments for the increased activity and potential risk. We have similarly been engaged in discussions with the appropriate parties on the issues of operational procedures and planning.
Both of these aspects are particularly poignant at a time when pay awards are, frankly, miserly; when pensions – which would include the pensions payable to members and/or families in the event of injury/death are the subject of attack, and when the fire service is suffering unprecedented cuts in the numbers of front-line personnel and the resultant worsening service delivery and response.
There has been no movement on the issue of pay in respect of an extension of the role of fire service personnel, and there are no agreed procedures or safety standard in respect of MTFA. The discussion on the operational aspects continues to take place at a pace which both sides probably agree needs to be increased.
We are informed by officials in one fire and rescue service that the local employer wishes to extend its list of volunteers, and may also be suggesting that it will make such duties compulsory. For a fire and rescue service to do so would be very unhelpful given the issues which will come to the fore, and face public exposure in the contractual and safety debacle that would undoubtedly follow such a move. To be clear – there is no contractual obligation, and there is no collective agreement that has been reached with the FBU.
The FBU has never encouraged members to volunteer, but acknowledges that a number of members have done so in the expectation that there would be swift progress on the substantive issues. We have been made aware that a number of members in a number of fire and rescue services are becoming increasingly restless at being taken for granted by their employer. The FBU acknowledges that and, as stated above, we are anxious for there to be an early positive conclusion to the discussions, with a view to reaching a collective agreement.
Whilst we continue to work to see if agreements can be reached, our advice to members and officials remains as stated in earlier circulars:
It is imperative that:
- Our local officials continue to inform management that there is no collective agreement locally on the performance of these duties, and that any agreement must be made nationally.
- Our local officials continue to make no interim agreement in respect of local procedures or risk assessments in respect of local procedures. This is not least because any fire and rescue involvement at incidents of this kind are both multi-agency and will be require interoperable deployment between fire and rescue services Procedures for dealing with incidents where firearms are in use are both dynamic and are at the extreme end of potential risk. As a consequence, the procedures must be universal in content and delivery, i.e. national.
-
Members who have volunteered for such duties continue to actively remind their managers in writing that the activity is done so on a volute basis only specifically:
- You should inform your Line Manager in writing or verbally that any understanding between yourself and the fire and rescue service was made having been misinformed by fire service management. Members should make clear that until and if agreement is reached with the Fire Brigades Union at national level, any such activity which you do carry out will be performed on a voluntary basis only. This can and will be withdrawn, as appropriate, on the basis of an individual or collective decision.
- Members should make a note of the date and time of any verbal communication and of course keep a copy of any memorandum or letter that is submitted.
We will keep members informed of developments.
Best wishes.
Yours fraternally
ANDY DARK
Assistant General Secretary
