West Yorkshire is to make a major investment in firefighter safety by replacing over 300 sets of breathing apparatus (BA).
The current sets date back to the mid-1990s and are approaching the end of their working life both physically and technologically. Modern BA offers greater comfort and safety to the wearer.
Fire chiefs intend to ‘future proof’ the new equipment so that advances such as telemetry can be added at a later date when fully proven. This technology transmits live information from the set to safety officers outside the building.
When the brigade begins firefighter recruitment again the successful supplier must be able to supply additional sets within 5-10 working days.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Craig McIntosh explained that introducing new BA equipment would be a challenging process involving extra training and a programme of vehicle adaptations.
The purchase would also need to be made through open tender to meet European Union regulations.
“We all know that West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is undergoing major changes because of financial circumstances beyond its control but it is important that our staff, and members of the public, understand that we will never compromise on firefighter safety and remain committed to giving our people the very best tools available to do their job efficiently and effectively,” he added.
