Teresa Saunders in pictured in Roberts Road, Leiston where the fire brigade rescued a cat off the roof of a house.

BONKERS! More than 20 Suffolk firefighters rescue cat from tree

Wednesday, April 6, 2011
7:31 AM

HEALTH and safety regulations meant more than 20 firefighters were called to rescue a cat from the roof of a two-storey house in North Suffolk.

Five crews – two from as far away as Bury St Edmunds – were sent to a residential road in Leiston morning when the tabby cat got stuck.

Their attendance was to comply with national “working at height” regulations and the need to ensure the health and safety of firefighters and any people who may have needed rescuing.

Last night, the fire service’s response was criticised as “ridiculous” and a waste of taxpayers’ money.

Suffolk Fire Service sent a turntable ladder from Bury St Edmunds – a similar ladder at Ipswich is currently out of service – with a two-strong crew, which was accompanied by a support crew from the same station. They set out on the 60-mile trip to Leiston about 9.45am yesterday (Monday).

Firefighters with specialist training in working at heights – each likely to be four or five strong – were also mobilised from Felixstowe, 30 miles away, and Bungay, 20 miles away, to the scene in Roberts Road. But the crews were turned back within minutes when an on-call firefighter from the Leiston crew climbed a ladder and collected the distressed cat – under the guidelines firefighters are allowed to work temporarily from the top of a ladder. Suffolk Fire Service recently adopted national regulations drawn up in 2005 to ensure the safety of people working at height, according to the Fire Brigades’ Union (FBU).

The response would have cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds. The crews from Leiston and Bungay are on-call, or retained, while the other stations involved have day-only cover.

Andy Vingoe, Suffolk branch chairman of the FBU, said: “Health and safety says that if we go up on to a roof, it brings into play our working at height procedures and safety system.

“If a cat is stuck on a roof, there is a chance the owner could get distressed and try to rescue it themselves and we would end up having to rescue them as well.

“It is crazy and it’s overkill and if we are having to send five teams to an incident like that, what happens if there is a serious incident elsewhere?

“It strengthens our case that we need more people to make sure we have enough cover to cope with the demands of the service.”

A spokesman for campaign group The Taxpayers’ Alliance said: “It’s ridiculous that five fire crews were sent out to rescue one cat.

“It’s almost laughable but wasting resources is bad news for taxpayers and others who might have needed to be rescued, so it’s not funny. Of course we want firemen to be safe, but health and safety and red tape has resulted in an excessive and costly response.”

A spokeswoman for Suffolk County Council said it had been called by the RSPCA to help with the incident and that the response was in line with national regulations.

“Due to the nature of the incident, fire crews with the specialist training and equipment were called to attend, in addition to the local crew. The incident was quickly dealt with by the local crew so the specialist teams were stood down and did not attend,” she said.

Teresa Saunders, who lives in Roberts Road, said she called the fire service at about 9.40am after hearing the cat crying and shrieking.

The 49-year-old carer said: “The firefighters deserve a lot of praise. They were very quick and dealt with it incredibly well.

“I don’t know whose it was – it had a blue collar and was a tortoise shell tabby. It was perfectly fine as far as I could tell. It ran off as soon as it got down.”

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37 comments

Call me cynical, but is this really due to Elf 'n' Safety, or to the Fire Brigades Union, trying to justify their grossly overmanned service?!

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Norfolk and Good

Sunday, April 10, 2011
The cat should have been arrested for wasting the firefighters' time. Or made to sign up for National Service.

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Debagio

Sunday, April 10, 2011
A cat up a tree is not an emergency. End of story!

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Ray Evans

Friday, April 8, 2011
They should send the bill to the stupid woman who called the fire brigade in the first place. Utter waste of tax payers money. Would be interesting to know if she's a tax payer herself. What was she thinking? Cats are vermin. Leave it up there next time. This would only happen in Britain. What a joke this country has become.

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Toftwood Central

Friday, April 8, 2011
I don't know what you are all moaning about. Our firefighters are world leaders in rescuing cats from trees etc, and we should be proud of them. Who do the international community call when they have a major cat stuck up a tree catastrophie? ...our firefighters of course, as they are the only teams in the world with the expertise for cat rescues. Just leave the alone and let them get on with the jobs they were trained for.

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popeye

Thursday, April 7, 2011
I don't know what you are all moaning about. Our firefighters are world leaders in rescuing cats from trees etc, and we should be proud of them. Who do the international community call when they have a major cat stuck up a tree catastrophie? ...our firefighters of course, as they are the only teams in the world with the expertise for cat rescues. Just leave the alone and let them get on with the jobs they were trained for.

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popeye

Thursday, April 7, 2011
if this story broke on April 1st we wouldn't believe it- its like a Monty Python sketch!! It's not the firefighetrs fault though- their should be a national agreement that firefighters will NOT rescue cats; common sense dictates if they found their way up then they'll find their way down too; and if they can't well, that's evolution! But as a nation of mad animal overs maybe that's just not acceptable....perhaps the RSPCA could organise a national cat rescue service?

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pieraccini

Thursday, April 7, 2011
Firemen are becoming soft. They can't climb a ladder. Fireman Sam is more of a man than they. Next you will hear these firemen bleating to their union. Oh and lets have another strike.

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NchNthMan

Wednesday, April 6, 2011
It doesn,t surprise me at all that these firemen turn up in such large numbers. They spend the majority of their time sitting in the fire station, drinking tea and playing pool (well they seem to at my local firestation in Surrey! I,ve witnessed them at first hand doing their shooping at the local Sainsburys. They pull up in the Fire Tender and two or three jump out, in full uniform, and aimleesly stroll around the shop. What a shower!

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whogivesafek

Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Years ago Surrey Fire Brigade started charging for rediculous call-outs like this. How many people have seen skeletons of dead cats up trees? They ALWAYS find their way down - they have a reverse gear with suitable claws!! It's always stupid old women who do these things. It's only an animal - we eat animals don't we? Dead cats are Biodegradable afterall.

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PC Pedro Rtd

Wednesday, April 6, 2011
i totally agree that the fire service need to think twice,cats will find a way down,its just a shame that they were not as quick to respond to my call when my son was trapped in a bank unconscience due to an anaphylactic shock,feed backs eh?the buck always gets passed around the block

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pip

Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Does anyone else get the link "Join the campaign against fire service cuts in Suffolk" in the top right corner!! I'm sorry but when you get situations like this it is hard to believe the public sector bosses who say we can't make cuts without seriously impacting the service. Does this mean that due to cuts, the next cat that is stuck will only get 15 firemen out to rescue it?

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Anon

Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Best laugh I've had since there was a similar OTT response to a pigeon caught in netting at Cromer recently. Note to Fire Service - Cats ALWAYS find a way down again.

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samphirelover

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Just listened to the local Anglia news and apparently the cat jumped down of it's own accord and wasn't rescued at all, which makes it all the more ludicrous.

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chucky noris

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Suffolk fire engines have new sirens, they now go meow meow, meow meow!

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chebram71

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Jack, I am with you entirely... QUOTE: Essex Fire brigade were no longer responding to automatic fire alarm call outs (some exceptions being hospitals, schools & residential homes). They would only respond where they received follow up confirmation confirming the fire. Extract from the Essex fire service website below. Today we have also been advised that Norfolk Fire Service will also be adopting a revised approach to AFA's as from 14 This will initially be for a 6 month period, but will not affect premises involving vulnerable people eg; care homeshospitals etc. This type of risk aside, the plan is for AFA's that have remote signalling, for the fire service to ring the premises within 30 seconds of receiving a call, to check that they are actually needed. If no reply is received, then they will send 1 x appliance only to the an incident. Norfolk Fire Service will be issuing a press statement shortly on their full revised procedures, so probably best to check their website for details. After 6 months, financial savings for the service will be assessed (at present only 0.7% of the 3000 annual call outs by Norfolk Fire Service to premises where the AFA has been activated are actual fires requiring brigade intervention) and if necessary, further changes could well be implemented. Reading between the lines, this could mean no response to none vulnerable person premises AFA's after the 6 month trial, unless a fire can actually be confirmed. On the face of things, all regional fire services will be looking to follow the lead of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Oxfordshire and Northampton Fire and Rescue services with this revised policy, which will be a cause of concern to all commercial property owners as it will undoubtedly impact on the increased potential fire losses that they will incur. http:www.essex-fire.gov.ukpagesindex.asp?area=4&id=530

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Andy T

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Fireman like Policemen have lost their bottle these days, that is the bottom line. As a retired copper I find that very sad.

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Jack

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The real reason behind this farce is to fulfil statistics. The number of call outs that the Union can show to management and Government all help to show their cause for more staff and funding. To show efficiency would reduce funding and any manning allowances so it is in their best interest to 'play act' such incidences. Can you imagine the same think tank employed by the Lifeboat Service. One child on a dinghy offshore would require 5 lifeboats, 3 inshore boats, a helicopter, Customs and Excise [Drugs], Immigration Officers [3] and 2 ambulances to cover every eventuality. I am afraid that the overkill in this case rather makes the occupation of fireman a laughing stock over one cat. I saw a BT line engineer climb a ladder to the top of a telegraph pole, perhaps the fire service could attend one of their courses to see how he managed that all on his own

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Eileen Dover

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The real reason behind this farce is to fulfil statistics. The number of call outs that the Union can show to management and Government all help to show their cause for more staff and funding. To show efficiency would reduce funding and any manning allowances so it is in their best interest to 'play act' such incidences. Can you imagine the same think tank employed by the Lifeboat Service. One child on a dinghy offshore would require 5 lifeboats, 3 inshore boats, a helicopter, Customs and Excise [Drugs], Immigration Officers [3] and 2 ambulances to cover every eventuality. I am afraid that the overkill in this case rather makes the occupation of fireman a laughing stock over one cat. I saw a BT line engineer climb a ladder to the top of a telegraph pole, perhaps the fire service could attend one of their courses to see how he managed that all on his own

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Eileen Dover

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Vingoe; “It strengthens our case that we need more people to make sure we have enough cover to cope with the demands of the service.” Wrong. It strengthens the case for changing your 'national regulations' and for forbidding your deployment of resources to make political points.

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airborneyellow

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
I'm with City boy on this issue, those in the RSPCA who do not understand cats and their behaviour should pay for the call outs. It only takes 19 firefighters to do this job in Norfolk...:)

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ingo wagenknecht

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
As it seems to be the RSPCA that keeps calling the fire brigade out to rescue these cats, I think its about time they were sent the bill to cover the costs of these call outs. As for the common sense of the fireman who got a ladder and used the 'guidelines firefighters are allowed to work temporarily from the top of a ladder' well done to home and perhaps his bosses need to rethink their H&S working guides, if its safe to work temporarily from the top of a ladder maybe they should send a van with a ladder next time and only after it arrives and accesses the situation should a full crew be called. RSPCA should still pay though.

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City Boy

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Perhaps one of these elf n safety experts should accompany a fireman into a burning building and give constant guidance he may then start to appreciate what the real world is like!

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ZIMMERFRAME

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Apologies for my comment being posted 3 times. The server kept sending it back.

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Dave01

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
I have nothing against animals being rescued by the Fire Service. It is essentially 'field training' for the crews. Perhaps calling for the turntable ladder was OTT, unnecessary and never should have happened, after all these are 'critical' and scarce pieces of equipment, even more so when the other local turntable ladder is out of service.

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Dave01

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
I have nothing against animals being rescued by the Fire Service. It is essentially 'field training' for the crews. Perhaps calling for the turntable ladder was OTT and never should have happened, after all these are 'critical' and scarce pieces of equipment, even more so when the other local turntable ladder is out of service.

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Dave01

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
There are far too many people in this country with nothing to do but fill in silly bits of paper. What ever happened to common sense?.

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kevin bacon

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Health and Safety isn’t bonkers, its about saving lives and preventing injury. What is bonkers is the way the law is interpreted and implemented, and how the press deals with it.

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Lewes

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
This story is nonsense, the working at height regulations did not demand this response. All they really ask for is that people make sure that the tools they are using are correct for the job and that they are trained to use them. This is just a poor show by the fire service who are trying to blame regulations as a form of passing the buck.

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adamb

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
What next mounted police to have hand rails fitted to their horses, after all they are workiing at height

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Sherbert

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
To Andy Vingoe (Suffolk branch chairman of the FBU). No, it doesn't strengthen your case that you need more people to make sure you have enough cover to cope with the demands of the service. If anything it means if 5 Fire Crews can attend an incident like this then we have too many people already. Get real.

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DAVID WILLGRESS

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Why didn't they also alert and callout the Police or Air sea Rescue helicopters, one quick fly pass and the cat would have been blown off the roof. Job done and at a cost of £60K per hour flying time from some far flung airstrip send the bill to the owner. Whatever is it coming too, I live in a bungalow so fel safe if there is a fire, anyone who lives in a flat above 2 storeys well you sem to be in dire straits. My local window cleaner only cleans bungalow windows because once he is above 12 feet from the ground he has to pay an extortionate insurance premium. Hugh Pugh, Barney Magrue, Cuthbert Dibble and Grubb would have been more efficient by the sound of things. Also at what price to the employers who release their staff and the Council tax payers? Utter lunacy

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Eileen Dover

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
This is getting beyond the joke!! What a complete waste of time, money and resources. Maybe the owners of the animals that are rescued should be charged, may encourage them to keep them under control. Ludicrous...

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Mr T

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
This sort of incident simply adds to the ridicule that surrounds our present health and safety culture. Common sense over ruled by pen-pushers.

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peter waller

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Speaking as a cat owner, I know full well that if the cat got up there by itself, it should have been left there...because it would have been able to get down by itself too. Failing that, someone should have stood nearby shaking a box of cat treats and I guarantee you that cat would have got itself out of that mess....what a total waste of resources and incredible luck that there wasn't a fire somewhere else at the time.....

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Ziggy

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
One quick squirt with a garden hosepipe would have done the job.

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Lord Elf

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
More than often it would appears to be the RSPCA who are the instigators of this ridiculous calls to the fire service to rescue all and sundry. They should be charged with making nuisance phone calls and billed for wasting public servants time.

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chucky noris

Tuesday, April 5, 2011