A petition protesting plans to cut the fire and rescue service in Buckinghamshire has gained over 500 signatures.
Launched by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), the petition calls for Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority to stop plans to remove 7 fire engines and close 2 fire stations in the county.
The FBU says that these proposals will lead to slower response times with fewer crews available and longer distances to travel to emergencies, reduced fire cover, and increased danger for residents and firefighters.
The petition also calls for the fire authority to scrap plans to expand the chief fire officer’s operational independence, stating that this will reduce democratic oversight, transparency, and accountability at the top of the fire and rescue service.
Mitchell Wallace, Fire Brigades Union brigade secretary for Buckinghamshire said:
Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority must start listening to firefighters and the communities they serve. Five hundred people have now signed the public petition in opposition to proposals to further cut the service.
Plans to remove seven fire engines and close two fire stations will put firefighters and residents at greater risk, pushing our overstretched fire service far beyond safe limits.
After fifteen years of austerity, Buckinghamshire fire and rescue service is in desperate need of investment. The fire authority must put public safety first and put a stop to these catastrophic plans.”
