Firemen 'not trained for attack'

Firefighters are still awaiting delivery of protective suits and other equipment to deal with a biological or nuclear terrorist attack, MPs were told today.

The Commons' Defence Select Committee was also told that the Fire Brigades Union's pay dispute had led to firefighters across the country refusing to take part in training on vital new equipment.

The Government's security and intelligence co-ordinator, Sir David Omand, said: "We do have to ensure that the fire service is trained on new equipment which is about to arrive.

"Up to now, the FBU has not been prepared to co-operate on this."

He added: "This is a very serious situation. It's a matter of very great concern.

"In terms of the implication of not having this equipment in service, it is very serious.

I'm hoping that the dispute itself will be coming into a resolution."

Head of Whitehall's civil contingencies secretariat Susan Scholefield added: "Equipment is no use unless people are trained to use it."

She added that full supplies of specialist equipment would not be in place until the summer.

MPs heard that a batch of 4,000 protective suits for firefighters to tackle chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) incidents began arriving in February but would not be in place until July.

The fire service already has 4,000 CBRN suits in place nationally, she added.

Among ambulance and police services, 9,200 CBRN suits have been ordered across England, Scotland and Wales, of which 8,600 have already been delivered, she continued.

Vehicles to transport the fire services' new equipment, including 190 mass decontamination facilities, would also not be fully in place until July, she said.

Most watched News videos