ad' tunnel fire plan
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by David Craik • Eurotunnel's plans to create an in-house firstline response team to fire and breakdown evacuations in the Channel Tunnel have been described as "madness" by the Fire Brigades Union.
Earlier this year, Eurotunnel warned Kent and Calais fire brigades that consultant Dawsons International might propose the creation of an inhouse team in a report into safety and evacuation procedures (CM 9-15 April).
This would mean the contract with Kent Fire Brigade would not be renewed.
Ernie Thornton, secretary of the FBU's Kent area, says such plans would "compromise the safety of everyone using the tunnel". He asks: "What experience will the firemen in this in-house team have?"
Thornton, who is concerned over communica tions between the Eurotunnel set-up and Kent Fire Brigade in an emergency, is calling for a meeting between "all interested parties".
He warns that the FBU will mount a large-scale campaign against the formation of an in-house firefighting team.
Eurotunnel spokes woman Anne Leva describes the FBU's concerns as "premature". She says the final draft of Dawsons' report will come out in the autumn and the recommendations will go before experts and safety authorities.
"We will also meet Kent Fire Brigade at this time," she says.