The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has welcomed a decision to trial additional crews in Tyne and Wear fire and rescue service, but insisted that they should be made permanent to ensure public safety.
The pilot programme will see an additional fire engine and crew introduced at West Denton Community Fire Station and a dedicated crew appointed to staff the aerial ladder platform (ALP) at Marley Park Community Fire Station.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has seen a £2.9m cut to its funding from Westminster over the course of the last five-year Local Government Finance Settlement, leaving it with 325 fewer firefighters than in 2010.
The FBU successfully campaigned against further cuts to fire cover in the county in early 2019.
Wayne Anderson, Tyne and Wear firefighter and FBU brigade secretary, said:
“Firefighters and residents campaigned hard to prevent another wave of brutal cuts in Tyne and Wear last year and we welcome this much-needed step in the right direction.
“When a fire breaks out, we need to get the right resources there as quickly as possible – and a dedicated crew for an aerial ladder platform will mean that anyone trapped inside a high rise building won’t have to wait for another crew to become available.
“Our county will be safer with more crews and fire engines available more often, so it’s crucial that these changes remain in place. We’re glad Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service is piloting additional crews, but they must be made permanent to ensure public safety in the longer term.”
