Dramatic crane operator rescue another indication of the dangers of fire

The very last thing that our seasoned fire safety professionals here at Triple Star Fire (http://www.triplestarfire.com) would want for your organisation's employees this Christmas would be for them to discover the dangers of fire the hard way, as a result of a failure to maintain fire alarms or carry out other vital safety measures. Indeed, even with the best will in the world, fire can pose a real peril to human life, as a crane operator in Canada recently found out in dramatic fashion.

It was in Kingston, Ontario where the crane worker found himself trapped when a fire broke out in a half-built apartment building. Thankfully for the naturally petrified man, a Griffon helicopter from Canadian Forces Base Trenton was on hand to pluck him to safety after he had made his way to the tip of the crane, as documented in video footage widely viewed online. He was then taken to a waiting ambulance, the police stating that he was believed to have sustained only minor injuries. But they also confirmed the luckiness of his escape, the "structurally unsafe and at risk of collapse" base of the crane making the rescue a true race against time.

Sadly, not all such attempted rescues have such a happy ending, which only further confirms the importance of the introduction and maintenance of the right fire safety equipment, as well as such measures as a thorough fire risk assessment. This time of year is supposed to be one of celebration, after all, and you will want to focus on your organisation concluding the year on a successful note, rather than having to face what can be the extremely grave human, legal and/or financial consequences of fire.

That message of caution has been spread by many other fire safety organisations across the country lately, including Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, which having been forced into providing a reduced emergency response service due to strike action, urged local businesses to take their own steps to reduce the likelihood of fire. Deputy Chief Fire Officer Dene Sanders reminded businesses of the importance of an up to date fire risk assessment, as part of safety arrangements that were sufficiently robust to enable everyone to quickly and easily escape the building in the event of fire.

Dene also flagged up the potential fire hazard of Christmas decorations and lights, telling firms to ensure that all of their decorative lights had a British Safety Standard sign on them, while also not leaving them on overnight when the business was closed and the premises unoccupied. We can only wholeheartedly support such advice here at Triple Star Fire (http://www.triplestarfire.com), and would urge any business that requires such services as fire alarm installations and/or fire equipment maintenance over the Christmas and New Year period to get in touch without delay.

Editor’s Note: Triple Star Fire (http://www.triplestarfire.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.