Fire Service auxiliaries at Petrotrin upset

WITH the mothballing of the Petrotrin refinery since November 30, auxiliaries of the TT Fire Service (TTFS) have been deployed with full-time colleagues at the plant, but not without problems, a delegation told Newsday yesterday.

“The auxiliaries did not get the proper personal protective equipment (PPE),” one firefighter complained. “They got other outfits, but not the proper PPE. The refinery is a hazardous environment, with a potential for serious fires and serious chemical spills. The full-time officers got their PPEs, so why not us?”

He reckoned the intended strength of firefighters at the refinery to be 78, but it now stands at just 48. He said another sore point among auxiliaries is that some ranking officers have been called out to service, but at a loss of their rank. “Officers responded to the call-out, but were stripped of their rank and put to work in the capacity as a firefighter.”

He said this loss of rank is hurtful to those officers. “You need them to supervise the ordinary firefighters, yet you eliminate their authority, so now only full-time officers can give instructions.”

He reckoned that as many as 12 ranked officers had been demoted and calculated that this demotion cut their hourly earnings by $11 (fire sub officer), $21 (fire sub station officer), $30 (fire station officer), $40 (asst divisional fire officer) and $56 (divisional fire officer.)

He said this demotion does not occur in the reserves of other protective services such as the Defence Force. While the initial appointments are made by the Minister of National Security, the demotions are being done illegally by fire service officers who are not authorised to do so.

“The minister does not know that all is not well,” he said. “We ask the auxiliaries be recognised and given the opportunity to function in their capacity.”