Firefighters in Staffordshire have launched a public petition in the fight back against a dangerous policy allowing retained firefighters to attend incidents as a team of three.
The service has pushed ahead with the policy despite 130 firefighters involved in the trial signing a letter in opposition.
The FBU has criticised the public consultation used to approve the policy, describing it as “misleading” and “deeply-flawed” after low engagement from Staffordshire residents.
The petition, which firefighters are calling on members of the public to sign, demands that Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) Ben Adams reverses the decision.
Martin Starkey, FBU Staffordshire brigade secretary, said:
The service claims that they have the backing for this incredibly unsafe policy, but this does not stand up to scrutiny.
Firefighters have made their opposition clear and low engagement in the consultation – which included questions deliberately framed to elicit a specific answer – demonstrates that there is no widespread, popular support for crews of three.
We will keep on fighting this until Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service puts firefighter and public safety first.”
