People trapped in property fires, floods and road traffic collisions will have to wait far longer for firefighters to rescue them if cuts are given the go ahead, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has said.
The union has called for politicians at Gloucestershire County Council to reject plans that would close Painswick fire station and cut all the full time firefighters based at Cirencester fire station.
The union, who have published their response to the public consultation over future fire service provision, say the proposals should be rejected to safeguard public safety.
Trevor French, local FBU rep in Gloucestershire, said: “The proposals would have a dangerous impact on the ability of Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service to effectively serve the public. Our capacity to deal with large scale, protracted incidents, including fires and floods would be compromised.
“Gloucestershire County Council seem to forget the lessons from the extensive flooding that battered our county in 2007. If these cuts go through and a similar tragedy hits our county again, we will be in a worse position to deal with the outcome.
“The public overwhelmingly reject these proposals to cut our fire and rescue service. It is time for politicians to rethink and reject these dangerous plans.”
You can read the FBU’s full response here.
