Firefighters banned from speeding to fires because it's 'too risky'

New rules sent out to fire crews in South Yorkshire say they can only break the speed limit and use lights and sirens if there is an immediate risk to life and property.

But the fire fighters themselves say dawdling to even minor incidents could increase the risk of threats to people and buildings.

One senior fireman said: "This is ridiculous we are an emergency service. It could definitely put lives and property at risk.

"We often don't have the time of the information when are responding to an emergency to make judgements like this.

"Drivers are specially trained to drive carefully even with blue lights and sirens on and there are very few accidents in those situations.

"If someone is injured or dies because we stick to the speed limits and are held up in traffic we would be blamed not the people in the ivory towers who come up with these rules.

"If people dial 999 to report, it is an emergency to them. Even if it seems to be a minor fire, you don't know how serious it really is until you get there - and if we have to wait up to half an hour in traffic, it could have spread."

The guidelines, issued to stations across South Yorkshire, say incidents such as skip fires or car fires on notorious "dumping grounds" are examples of incidents when normal speeds and no sirens or lights should be used.

They have also been told to obey all traffic regulations in these cases.

Firefighters have been told other incidents where sirens and lights are banned, normal speeds should be used and traffic regulations obeyed, include:

• Small or secondary fires which are not in proximity to a building;

• Moorland fires - unless in an area of "value" such as a "Site of Special Scientific Interest";

• Automatic fire alarms where a fire has not been confirmed ...unless there could be a risk to people sleeping;

• Automatic fire alarms which have been confirmed to have been set off in error by a "responsible" person;

• People stranded in lifts except where those trapped are suffering a medical condition or are in distress;

• Appliances travelling to a rendezvous point or on standby in cases such as bomb alerts or civil unrest;

• Minor flooding.

Firefighters have been told the list they have been given is not "definitive" and to expect "more detailed instructions" to be issued to them shortly.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue say they have introduced the measures as part of a commitment to "working for a safer South Yorkshire" - balancing the need to get to incidents quickly with the need to get there safely.

The authority added it was "imperative" the control room gathered as much information as possible about an incident to ensure the most appropriate response was decided.

Tony Clay, head of operational standards and safety for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said: "Our new policy captures and formalises well established good practice.

"We have all seen examples in the media of emergency vehicles being involved in road traffic collisions on the way to incidents.

"Similarly we all know that in some - but by no means all - circumstances, time is of the essence. We are seeking to balance these equally important imperatives."

John Speight, brigade chairman at the Fire Brigades' Union in Sheffield, said he had been unaware of the new guidelines until they were circulated to members last week.

He said the proposals seemed "vague" and he was due to meet with management to discuss what they would actually mean for firefighters on the ground.

Mr Speight said although the proposals looked alarming: "It would be premature of me to comment on what the implications will be for the future, because without knowing exactly what it means I could quite easily come to the wrong conclusion."