The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) in Avon has slammed cuts to frontline services which will they say compromise the safety of the public and fire crews. The cuts, which include the downgrading of fire stations and vital high rise appliances, and a rescue tender used in serious motorway accidents, have been proposed by Avon Fire Authority as a result of a savage £5m government cut to the fire service budget.
The cuts, which are out for public consultation, will see 49 firefighter posts removed from frontline fire stations and the downgrading of Yate fire station at night where fulltime cover is being removed.
The plans also include cutting the immediate response of vital aerial appliances from Bath and Weston Super Mare fire stations that are used for rescues and firefighting in high rise buildings. The cuts will also mean the end of 24/7 availability of specially trained firefighters to crew a heavy rescue 19 tonne truck in Avonmouth. As a result of the cuts the vehicle will not be able to always arrive immediately at serious road traffic collisions on the motorways surrounding Bristol; it’s catchment area.
Avon firefighter and brigade FBU chair Gary Spindler said: “These are untenable, dangerous cuts to the frontline fire service in Avon. Here, firefighters have recently tackled large scale incidents that have stretched us to the limit, and we needed every firefighter we could muster. The role of aerial appliances at incidents such as the recent massive fire at St Michaels Hill or the high rise fire at student accommodation in Colston Street, Bristol, has been vital in helping us protect the public and deal with the incident.
“The cuts being proposed would have a severe impact on our ability to respond effectively and promptly to these incidents. The public will not be safe. Every firefighter knows the importance of getting to an incident quickly, and these cuts would hamper our ability to do so. Every second counts in an emergency - these cuts would mean that response times at night in Yate would increase to a dangerous level. We’re asking for the public in Bristol and across the Avon area to support their firefighters and say no to these cuts. They can do this by signing our online petition or by responding to the formal consultation.”
South West regional FBU rep Tam McFarlane said: “The 21% cut to the budget being forced on Avon Fire Service by the government will mean a severe and dangerous cut to the frontline fire service. Every single day firefighters risk their lives to provide a 24 hour, all hazard emergency service. Last year firefighters rescued 40,000 people UK wide and 90% of these weren’t from fires. Yet despite providing this incredible, life -saving service, firefighters are seeing their service and their safety compromised by politicians who put budget cuts ahead of public safety. Our service is at crisis point and we are asking the public to get behind their local firefighters and demand that these dangerous cuts are reversed.”
