Firefighters have slammed Northumberland County Council who have approved drastic cuts to fire and rescue services in the county, including the closure of Haydon Bridge fire station and the removal of the on-call fire engine from West Hartford fire station, which will result in the loss of frontline firefighters.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) says the cuts, which will also see fire engines replaced with smaller vehicles carrying less life-saving equipment, will leave both the public and firefighters at greater risk of serious injury at emergencies.
Guy Tiffin, secretary for the FBU in Northumberland, said: “Our ability to protect the public will be severely compromised by these indefensible cuts. We ask that councillors reconsider this decision that will cost lives.
“Smaller fire crews that lack all the current specialist equipment could put firefighters in the very real situation of turning up at fires, road traffic accidents or flooding incidents and being unable to perform rescues.”
“For firefighters, the safety of the public is non-negotiable. This should be a shared agenda for all local political parties. Sadly, from the decisions we have seen today, it is not. We implore Northumberland County Council to reconsider these devastating cuts.”
