A Coast Guard chief who feared lives could be lost because of a nationwide sirens ban has said new training is "massive" but they’re still not happy.
Officer Jim Griffin said despite the ‘blue lights’ ban being lifted on vehicles responding to emergencies there is other big ‘issues’.
The new directive in mid-February banned Coast Guard volunteers from using the lights or sirens on public roads, but it was shelved earlier this month.
Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard trains first wave of drivers to use blue emergency lights
It sent morale into free-fall, with one member forced to use his own motorbike to save someone’s life because his colleagues were stuck in traffic.
Mr Griffin said volunteers met with management in Portlaoise on March 7 and felt they were listened to and there has been ongoing discussions since.
He added: "It’s a massive step. They’ve sourced a trainer in Dublin and we’ve already started what’s classed as 'blue light' driving.
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"There’s going to be four-to-five qualified drivers at each station.
“We’re starting with the urban units and so far Skerries, Howth , Dun Laoighaire are definitely trained up and possibly one or two more eastern sectors are almost there.”
Mr Griffin, who said more rural parts will follow, stressed there was a lot of respect on both sides and said management insited ‘they didn’t mean to cause us as much grief within the organisation’.
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He added: “But all that we want at any stage is to be consulted as volunteers before major decisions are made like this.
“The policy now is the Coast Guard would rather being confident and sure that each member of the volunteer unit are after getting some level of qualifications before they sit into jeeps.”
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However, the officer in charge of Dunmore East Coast Guard in Waterford said they are “still not happy with the level of training” and those concerns will be raised at a meeting in Dublin on Saturday.
Mr Griffin added: “We want it to be a little bit more than the Coast Guard are giving us.
“There’s level one, two and three and we want our drivers to be up to level three.
Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard trains first wave of drivers to use blue emergency lights
“It’s adequate enough for what it is at present, but we want to go the extra step now and make sure that this in future [is right].
“If there’s another [situation], if the Civil Service find that level one is not adequate in two or three years time then we’ll have to sit down again and retake it.
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“So, we’re trying to nip this in the bud from the start and say, ‘look do ye think level one and two is adequate for the future going forward of the Coast Guard or is it going to be reviewed again if we have a new Government or ..you know the way that the European laws change from time to time.”
