I retired from the fire service last year and was dismayed at the proposed uniform
The colour scheme as you say is hideous. Also there was too much emphasis on a "corporate" image as opposed to an emergency service image.
One of the main issues I had was that the colour scheme and indeed lack of markings meant that the uniform looked like any corporate wear worn by a number of professions and didnt actually do anything to show that the wearer was a firefighter.
This has inherent problems. The uniform didn't look "official" enough. For inspectors or firefighters in non emergency situations but where there presence called for an image which stated that they had authority for all the right reasons we found people saying " who are you" instead of " oh you are from the fire service"
The proposed uniform has been on the firebuy website for yonks fireftrm, but if you notice there is a lack of high resolution photographs or detailed information. We were told during the very poor consultation process about the colours not permitted to be used in the uniform because :-
Cant use blue or black because the police use it
cant use red as that is used by the royal mail / parcel force use it
cant use orange because the highways agency use it
cant use gold cos thats used by whomever
cant use such and such cos so and so use it
And on and on; so much so that only grey was left The fact is we need to look different from other emergency services, but the argument that blue is used by police is a non starter. My local bus drivers wear blue shirts with eppaulettes. My local hospital porters wear blue shirts the same shade as police officers. No one says to them "oh you cant wear blue in case you look remotely a bit like a copper!"
Im sorry but a uniform still has to be semi formal, so that people immediately know at a glance they are dealing with personnel from the fire service who maybe present on official business, and may need information and co-operation fast without too much messing about in establishing identity etc. Most of all it has to look smart and professional and again readily identifiable to members of the public who may spot them and need assistance. Making it a corporate " anonymous" almost civilinised set of clothing is not the way forward.
Im afraid the current uniform doesnt have enough conspicuty or formal presence, and looks like Joe Bloggs walked into a print shop and asked the words "Fire Rescue " to be printed on their shirt which is most concerning.
Im yet to see a brigade apart from Hereford and Worcester actually adopt it. Police paramedics and Coastguard staff have good functional - identifiable modern uniform - why cant the fire service have it in their new national identity scheme? The fact is that the service is further being dumbed down
It isnt a bout posing - it is about showing identification, readily and easily to members of the public for legitimate and safety reasons.
