IFESA (The Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association) said today (Monday, 19 th Dec.) that a decision by the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) that it has no jurisdiction to rule on an IFESA complaint regarding a broadcast advertisement for the Eircode system is concerning and should be clarified by the ASAI.

The advertising watchdog has said it does not have the power to ban Government-produced ads promoting the benefits of Eircode despite finding that the broadcasts were misleading.

The ASAI has informed IFESA that it now regards the Eircode advertisement as a ‘Public Notice' and as such it falls outside the remit of the ASAI code.

IFESA had lodged a complaint with ASAI that the Eircode advertisement was  not an honest and truthful advertisement was very misleading and was in fact a dangerous statement to make.

IFESA National Chairman, Ros MacCobb said : ‘IFESA was concerned  when this  advert was broadcast  that the advertisers intention had been to heighten the fears of the public that by NOT knowing your Eircode prefix it would mean a slower response from the emergency services. This advertisement put in the public domain a fear that was unfounded and we believed the use of the emergency services as an example in an advertisement was playing on a fear of the public that when they are most in need of emergency help that the use of Eircode prefix will result in a quicker response. It was IFESA position that no substantiating data exists to back Eircode's claim.'

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The Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association (IFESA) has strong condemned an attack on a fire tender responding to a  fire in a car park in Sligo on Thursday last. The incident  in which rocks were thrown at the fire tender resulted in one fireman being hospitalised. 

Ros MacCobb , IFESA  Vice President said attacks on members of the emergency services could never be condoned and he called on politicians and community leaders  throughout the country to voice their strong condemnation of such attacks when they occur.

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The Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association (IFESA) said today (May 7 th ) that support expressed by the Chief Fire Officers Association at their AGM yesterday (May 6 th ) for the use of fire officers as first responders in cases where an ambulance in not available confirmed that there is now a growing consensus in support of IFESA ' s call for the development of a National fire based emergency medical service (EMS) and the development of a National Fire and Ambulance service in Ireland to respond to medical emergencies.

‘ IFESA Vice President, Ros MacCobb, said that the support for a fire based EMS by the Chief Fire Officers Association comes just weeks after Health Minister, Leo Varadkar expressed similar support for such a service when he told the Seanad that there was a ‘ strong case ‘ for training fire crews to assist with emergency ambulance service responses.

Mr. Mac Cobb said: ‘ IFESA has been the leading advocate for the development of fire based emergency medical services ( EMS) and the coordination of a National Fire & Ambulance service in Ireland to respond to medical emergencies. '

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The Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association (IFESA) has today (Thursday) called for greater action to address cancer risks to firefighters following evidence to MEP's of unacceptably high rates of cancer among the profession.

Following a European Parliament meeting of the European Fire Fighters Unions Alliance (EFFUA) - of which IFESA is a member - with the MEP group MEP's Against Cancer (MAC), IFESA President John Kidd said the international evidence is now conclusive that constant exposure to deadly toxic smoke and particles in the line of duty is resulting in unacceptably high rates of cancer among firefighters.

“The cancer rate emerging among firefighters globally is truly concerning and yet there is little or no response from national governments or at EU level, to the issue of the impact of occupational exposure by firefighters throughout their careers to toxins and deadly chemicals resulting in higher cancer incidence. It is now time to take action to address this growing problem at both a national and EU level.'

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IFESA President John Kidd explained to Joe Duffy on Liveline why  IFESA is opposed  to the proposals for the HSE to take over the running of the DFB ambulance service.

Click HERE to hear the Liveline interview.