London firefighters will take part in a day of action, organised by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), as part of a campaign to oppose savage cuts to the capital’s fire service. The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, wants to close 12 fire stations, remove 18 engines and slash 520 frontline firefighter posts.
The action is planned for Saturday 16 March.
Firefighters throughout London will be out and about in their local communities, high streets and shopping centres, handing out a quarter of a million leaflets, collecting signatures on petitions and warning the public of the threat to public safety if the cuts are implemented. Crews from Clapham fire station – one of those on the hit-list – have organised a public march which sets off from Clapham Common at 12.30pm.
The commissioner of the London Fire Brigade has predicted that the cuts would mean 4.7 million Londoners waiting longer for a fire engine.
FBU regional secretary for London Paul Embery said: “These cuts are dangerous and wrong. No-one wants them, apart from Boris Johnson. Public safety is playing second fiddle to crude economic ideology, and that is inexcusable. Firefighters know better than anyone the importance of getting a fire engine to an emergency quickly, and that’s why on Saturday they will be out in their hundreds campaigning against the cuts.
“Fire stations that have stood protecting Londoners for generations are under threat. We hope that the public will support our campaign to prevent their closure.”
