London firefighters will be attending a mass lobby of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) meeting on Monday to protest at plans to close 12 fire stations, remove 18 fire engines and slash 520 firefighter posts. The lobby has been called by the London region of the Fire Brigades Union.
This follows a decision by the mayor of London, Boris Johnson to drive through £45m of cuts in the LFEPA budget.
FBU regional secretary for London, Paul Embery said: ‘The proposed cuts are reckless and wrong. You can’t slash 12 fire stations, 18 fire engines and 520 firefighter posts without jeopardising public safety. The helicopter crash that occurred earlier this week showed the importance of having a properly-funded, well-resourced fire service in the capital, and it is worthy of note that the first crew at the scene was mobilised from a station – Clapham – earmarked for closure and arrived within four minutes. The safety of Londoners is playing second fiddle to crude economic considerations. We are calling on the commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, Ron Dobson, and Boris Johnson to think again. If they don’t, we will campaign as vigorously as we can, alongside the public, to defend London’s fire service.’
LOBBY OF LFEPA MEETING – 1.30pm – 21 JANUARY
LONDON BRIGADE HQ – 169 UNION ST – SE1 0LL
