Humberside fire staff affected by Coronavirus

The latest wave of coronavirus has hit Humberside Fire and Rescue harder, with more staff testing positive than in the earlier stages of the pandemic, according to a senior officer.

Humberside Fire and Rescue’s Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Phil Shillito, told councillors on the Fire Authority a total of 23 staff had tested positive for coronavirus at the latest count.

The officer added the total was up from the four found to have contracted the virus after the initial outbreak and lockdown, in March.

It comes as councillors heard updates on how the service had been impacted by the virus.

Councillors also heard from North Bank Emergency Response lead, Jason Kirby, that inspections a year on from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s first phase found no Humber residential buildings were at risk.

But he added more inspections were due on buildings at a lower risk of the kind of blazes that gutted the London tower block, in 2017.

The service is also set to look at evacuation arrangements, particularly for those whose first language is not English after the inquiry found it disproportionately affected BAME people.

Mr Shillito told councillors plans activated at the start of the pandemic meant the service could continue functioning, despite 120 staff members being tested for coronavirus.

Mr Shillito said:

“On top of the 120 staff we also had 70 household members tested, making the total 190.

“Of those 144 were negative, 23 were positive, six are pending results and six were inconclusive.

“The processes and procedures we put in place couldn’t stop some staff contracting the virus.

“We’ve been more affected by the second wave than by the first, during the initial outbreak we had only four staff members testing positive.

“We had a total of two outbreaks in the service, we have to inform Public Health England if any more than two people catch coronavirus that are linked by time and place.

“We’re satisfied that we took all the necessary steps and did as much as we could to reduce contamination and the chance of the virus spreading, members can take reassurances from that.

“But we were always going to have members of staff affected and we continue to monitor the situation on a daily basis, a number are self-isolating now as a precaution.”

Mr Kirby told councillors the service was managing risks uncovered by the Grenfell Inquiry well.

He added senior officers were continuing to make sure recommendations from the inquiry were being put into effect.

Mr Kirby said:

“Services nationally have been taking a collaborative approach on the report’s findings.

“The second phase of the inquiry is underway as we speak.

“None of our high rise residential buildings were found to be at risk, there was one hostel type building in Hull that had a strip of cladding similar to Grenfell’s on but this has been removed.

“A further review is taking place on lower risk buildings.

“We’ve undertaken risk assessments and reviewed our procedures for if a fire like this was to happen in our area.

“We’re also looking at evacuation arrangements and under which circumstances we’d tell residents to leave their homes or stay inside.

“A key aspect as also ensuring all residents can understand the guidance on fire safety that their landlords have to put up.

“One of the findings of the inquiry was that BAME people were disproportionately affected, so we need to make sure all residents can understand that guidance even if their first language is not English.”

Fire Authority Chair Cllr John Briggs, of North Lincolnshire Council, said:

“It’s important for all of us to learn from what happened.”