Pole-axed

Barmy fire chiefs came under a blaze of criticism today after they banned the traditional fireman's pole - because it posed a 'health and safety hazard'.

Firefighters risk their lives every day but bosses overseeing the construction of a new £2.4 million station ruled the poles are too dangerous.

It is feared someone may slip off and hurt themselves, get repetitive back strain, turn an ankle or, heaven forbid, suffer severe chaffing to the hands and or thighs.

Staff will now have to run down the stairs of the new Greenbank Fire Station in Plymouth, Devon, raising concerns that vital seconds will be lost on their way to a 999 emergency call.

Greenbank Station Officer Ken Mulville (CRT) said: "It is ludicrous - we were all flabbergasted to find we will have to run down the stairs now.

"I would say it takes about half a second to slide down a pole and at least 20 seconds to run down two flights of stairs.

"At the end of the day seconds could be critical when responding to a 999 call." Station Officer Mulville believes using the stairs in an emergency will actually prove more dangerous than sliding down a pole.

He said: "In more than thirty years in the brigade I have seen one or two accidents on poles compared to tens of accidents with people tripping on stairs while responding to incidents."

Many new fire stations are being built on a single level, doing away with the need for a pole. But with stations like Greenbank, where there are three floors, the vast majority still employ a pole as the quickest and easiest way of getting down to the engine and out to an emergency.

Assistant Divisional Officer Ali Macdonald, the Plymouth area commander for Devon Fire and Rescue, insists the new set-up is far better for the health and safety needs of the firefighters.

He said: "Greenbank is one of the fastest stations in the city.

"I would guarantee that there would be a significant number of injuries from poles and the station has been running for nearly two months with stairs with no accidents."

Children visiting the station were banned from using the poles - once the star attraction of a school trip to the local fire brigade - several years ago.

But firefighters, trained to cope with situations of extreme danger, never believed they would fall under the same molly-coddling rules.

Trevor French, from the Fire Brigades Union, said: "This is a long tradition - firefighters have always had sliding poles and it is very sad that it has come to this.

"Poles are a huge part of the image of the fire service - whenever you see us on the television there is always a shot of a firefighter sliding down a pole. It is a big shame.

"We used to have school visits and let the children slide down the poles, but that was stopped a few years ago, so it isn't surprising really I suppose. Sadly we have to bow down to the superiority of the bosses in dealing with health and safety issues in the workplace. It seems that in this situation the powers that be have decided a pole is not the safest option."