5th April 2007.

Around the World for 30 minutes.

This was going to be a really long post. I had written the whole facts and figures, dotted every T and crossed every I. But I re-read it and realised that you don't need to hear it. Moreso.....this is my blog for me to look back on and I don't want to read it. So.......My big news in a potted version.


I am a firefighter.

I have a back injury that I will have for the rest of my life but I can do most things as long as I can plan and prepare for them. You might not know by looking at me that I have pain, but it is always there at one degree or another.

A surgeon told me to stop being an operational Fireman or risk more serious and more frequent injury. He said I HAD to change my job. He told the fire service this.

The fire service agreed and told me that I would never be operational again because of the risk.

They offered me a job inputting data about hydrants into a computer. I wasn't obliged to do this and I declined. If I am to be desk bound for the rest of my career, I will choose my desk thank you. Data input about hydrants? Sounds slightly more thrilling than hammering my own eyeballs with my dads slipper. They asked me if I would resign. I have an injury so I declined. They said they didn't know what to do, I told them to let me know when they decided.

I heard nothing for months.

Nothing was happening and when asked, it seemed that nothing would be happening. I had sold my house(having planned a sabbatical year granted by the fire service until I was injured and told that I couldn't postpone it for a month to see if I got better) and my family was moving to Ireland. I set off on World Mooch.

Over a year after being told that I was never to be operational again and declining the data input job, I was told that they were trying to sack me for not providing sick notes and was therefore absent without leave (AWOL). OVER A YEAR with nothing heard. I provided a sick note from a doctor in Auckland. Oh, by the way, despite claiming that I am still their employee, they haven't been paying me my wages and if they sack me they freeze my pension and don't pay it to me when they should, but ten years later. In actual fact, they should pay a small pension to any firefighter who is injured and cannot be operational from the moment they are unable to perform operational duty. So, I am injured. If they sack me, they get to hold on to the money that I am due now and keep it 10 years longer than if I wasn't injured at all and kept working. Incentive to sack people? Possibly.

The fire service tried to sack me once for going on a TV quiz show, while on my holidays, and winning. They said it was an unauthorised second job! I don't think I am popular with the fire service higher beings.

I recieve an E mail. Despite them knowing that I am in Auckland, they have made an appointment for me to see "the Brigade Doctor" in Leeds, in April. I offer more than 10 times to see an equally qualified doctor in Auckland and they ignore every offer. I try to speak to the doctor and he decides that despite being "my doctor" now, I am not allowed to speak with him until the Leeds appointment. Seems unethical but I am no expert. Hardly inspires confdence in his impartiality though does it?

Despite offering alternatives and the hassle and cost of everything involved, not forgetting that a 24 hour flight cannot be good for a dodgy back, the fire service have decided to insist that there is no option but for me to attend the appointment or be dismissed for non attendance. Remember that they, including the doctor I would have to see, have agreed with the surgeons report on my back. I have two weeks to get there now. They will not answer questions about how long I will need to be back for, nor why I can't see an equally qualified doctor in Auckland. The doctor I am seeing has insisted on seeing me after taking the case over from another doctor who had seen me and was prepared to make a decision about my back on the evidence given by the surgeon, GP, chiropractor and osteopath.

So, I will be flying back to the UK for an appointment. One appointment. About 30 minutes. Over $3500 NZD. Crazy? Not at all. Remember that if I refuse to go, or just don't turn up.....They will sack me and feel that they have saved all of the pittance that I would get from my pension. Will the doctor come to a different conclusion to that of his peer who is vastly more expert in back injuries? I don't see how he can, but this is "the Brigade Doctor". What will he be looking at? I have no idea. Doctors all agree that back pain can't be diagnosed accurately as it is almost impossible to pin point the reason from an assesment without MRI, Xray etc. The reason I can't be operational is due to the increased risk of more serious and more frequent injury. Not because I am daily in excrutiating pain. So when I turn up....who is to say that I am not having a good day and feel ok. The next day I might be in extreme pain. That's just the way it goes.

Ever felt like someone is out to get you?

There is loads more I can whinge about but I won't. Just thought you all ought to know what the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service considers reasonable treatment of their injured firefighters. Shame really as the lads make it a great job, it is just that those above are too busy routing for truffles, euphamistically, to do things the right way.

I don't mind how they "get me off the books" as long as they do it the correct way, with the respect due to someone who has done all of the horrendous jobs a firefighter has to do for 9 years, and don't skulk about trying dirty tricks to save a penny here and there. Those in the know will be aware of the policy of temporarily promoting a senoir officer just before he retires, attracting an enhanced pension, often with the added bonus of ill health retirement through "asthma" or "Vertigo" or something qually irrelevant to a job that involves sitting in an office. I suppose that once they finally sack me, I will be able to get a job, as they would sack me if they thought I had a job over here! Good job I haven't even though it has meant that without pay from anywhere, the cash is thin on the ground right now!

Rockbusters is dying a death so I won't bother. But feel free to go back and show some interest!


Dan.