This is a true story...How many firemen does it take?
By LeighB
@LeighB (700)
Thailand
April 5, 2011 8:55am CST
How many firemen does it take to save a cat stuck on a house roof?
Answer 25 and 5 fire engines.
No this is not an April fools joke it is an actual event.
Yesterday, in Sufolk, U.K. 25 firemen and 5 fire engines were dispatched to rescue a cat stuck on a 2 storey house roof. Due to health and safety laws, this amount of men were required due to the height. Isn't this just a waste of resources, money and time!
Here is a link to the newspaper report:
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1373598/Operation-overkill-25-firemen-engines-sent-to-rescue-cat
Has health and safety gone to far?
What are your views on this?
3 responses
@zralte (4178)
• India
6 Apr 11
I love it!!! I always say that all the regulations are getting a bit too much in the UK. I made a discussion here in myLot a long time ago - about whether we can combine the Health and Safety regulations in India and UK and come to a more sensible solution.
When they were doing some roadwork in Wolverhampton, near my in-law's house, the traffic cone started like 2 miles before the actual work. So, there's the truck with 2/3 men driving placing them and then picking them up and moving it forward as the work moves forward. Do they really need to start that 2 miles before? Wouldn't half a mile be enough for any motorist to be aware of it and be careful?
In India, I see some people working on the road (cleaning, I think), all they have was one lousy traffic cone next to them!!!
As in the case of those road-workers I saw in India, you've got to think, 'How in the world is one cone going to protect them?' Oh, Did I say they were a little bent out as well.@LeighB (700)
• Thailand
6 Apr 11
Hi zralte,
Yeah, things are beginning to get out of hand in the UK where regulations are concerned, but in other countries there is a definite lack towards human safety.
As for the traffic cones being placed 2 miles away from the actual works, I guess it is a case of, 'Well these cones are on the truck so we better use them all.'
Common sense seems to be fast going out the window, The UK uses too many and India too few. Maybe the two countries need to dived their cones in half and both have the right amount to use!
@Suzieqmom (2755)
• United States
6 Apr 11
Imagine how many they would have needed if the cat decided to jump to a tree or another roof! At least we know that animal rights are well protected in Suffolk.
@LeighB (700)
• Thailand
6 Apr 11
Hi Suzie, the UK seems to have a big thing with animal rights, which is good. As you say, they would more than likely need double the amount if the cat had moved from object to object. As it was as soon as they got the cat down it just ran off and wasn't even reunited with its owners.
@ajk111 (2495)
•
5 Apr 11
Health and safety laws are very stringent. For example you need 25 firemen because if one of the firemen get scratched by the cat, by legal right you need one fireman to hold his finger, another fireman to wipe the cut clean, another fireman to administer the TCP, another fireman to put on a bandaid, another fireman to wipe the tears away and 19 firemen to whisper "there,there, daddy's soldier is going to be all right!"
So i do believe health and safety are only doing whats best!
