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What do we expect of our emergency services? Good Community rapport, assistance in an emergency, life saving efforts? These are all things that spring to mind but should we be concerned that health and safety regulations in place are going to prevent them from carrying out all of these points?<\/p>\n
One Scottish headline to hit today\u2019s news would lead me to say yes.<\/p>\n
This will be a shocking and disappointing story for many of you to read but I think it is important for our blog readers to be aware of developments involving such services.
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An inquiry is currently underway at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court following the death of Alison Hume. Ms Hume was killed after falling some 40 feet in to a shaft in Galston in July 2008.<\/p>\n
Ms Humes daughter discovered her and called for the fire brigade immediately. It is understood that the accident happened in the early hours of the morning and the crews were initially hampered by darkness and mist. Visibility was reduced to only 1 metre but eventually one member of the fire crew was lowered in to the shaft to provide Ms Hume with first aid and oxygen \u2013 you\u2019re probably thinking that this all sounds relatively normal procedure so far but you will be shocked<\/strong> at the events that followed\u2026<\/p>\n However, the fire crew were unable to physically rescue Ms Hume from the shaft due to new health and safety polices which were in place. The fire crew were supplied with safe working at height equipment and were fully trained on their use; however this could only be used to bring up another firefighter and not a member of the public<\/strong>!<\/p>\n