NEW CLOTHING ISSUED to the men and women of Dublin Fire Brigade should be kept away from fire.

A photo of the new clothing, which includes t-shirts and sweatshirts, shows the care label clearly states in capital red letters: “Keep Away From Fire”.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Chairperson of the Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association (IFESA) John Kidd said the fire crew had been waiting on the new clothing wear for over two years.

While all fire crews have fire retardant fire gear that is placed over their clothes when they are on a call, he said the clothing, which is 80 per cent cotton and 20 per cent polyester, could be a potential risk to service providers. Kidd said:

It only takes one ember to get down the back and ignite and it could cause a serious burn – they shouldn’t have been bought, simple as, and especially because of the purpose they are used for.

He added:

In all my years as a fireman, I have never seen any t-shirts issued with the statement saying ‘stay away from fire’ on them. This is a first.

Wrong specifications

Kidd said this was just the latest in a litany of issues the IFESA have concerns over. He said this is not the first time that wrong specifications for products have been given and the misspending of taxpayers money has taken place within the fire service.

“It is gone beyond being comical at this point,” he said. Firefighters pay for their own clothing issue, approximately €300 a year. Despite this amount being deducted on a yearly basis, this is the only new clothing issue we have received in two years, despite that amount being deducted last year also,” he said.

“We are essentially being made to use our own money to buy substandard equipment. There was no consultation with us about whether this clothing would be suitable,” he added.

When asked whether the garments were suitable or if they would be replaced, Dublin Fire Brigade stated:

All garments meet the specification required for clothing in the fire service and there is no requirement to re-issue this clothing.

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