A campaign has taken off in Oxfordshire against “direct entry”, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) scheme that fast-tracks people with no experience of firefighting or the fire service into senior fire management roles.
FBU members from across Oxfordshire rallied outside a meeting of the county council on 11 July to demand that councillors reverse a decision to advertise for a station manager with no requirement of previous work in the fire and rescue sector.
Insult to injury by cutting opportunities for firefighters while putting the public at risk
Steve Wright, FBU executive council member for the Southern region, described the scheme as adding “insult to injury by cutting opportunities for firefighters while putting the public at risk”.
Oxfordshire is one of seven UK fire and rescue services to pilot direct entry, alongside East Sussex, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Avon, Leicestershire, and North Wales.
Firefighters across the UK have warned against the scheme. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has already dropped it under pressure from local FBU representatives.
