Cuts

Response times by the fire and rescue service to significant fires in England have slowed by the biggest amount since 2015. New figures show that the average response time for primary fires in England was 8 minutes and 43 seconds for the year ending September 2021, a slowing of six seconds when...

A fire and rescue service is facing having to borrow at least £25m, equal to around 70% of its annual budget, to fund new equipment and other spending, after the government abolished its capital grant for it. At a meeting of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel Michael Porter, director...

A plan for Cumbria fire and rescue governance to be taken over by the Police and Crime Commissioner could eventually lead to three fire station closures. The expansion of Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall’s responsibilities to include fire – with his role expanding to that of Police Fire...

Fire Brigades Union lawyer Martin Seaward has told the inquiry that any assessment of the fire and rescue service must take place “in the wider political and economic context” He underlined that the disaster was caused by individual private companies and government, with “total” building failure and...

Parts of the North East, which government statistics show has had some of the worst recent Covid hotspots as the Omicron wave continues, are continuing to report fire service shortages as Covid hits the service. The Fire Brigades Union in the North East is clear that whilst these shortages are...

London has had over a third of its fire engines unavailable as Omicron hits staffing numbers, new London Fire Brigade data shows. Shortages reached 50 fire engines during the day shift of the 25th of December, and reached 42 for the day shift of the day before. There are 142 fire engines in the...

Rising Covid cases has left London fire and rescue with “unprecedented” staff shortages, with shortages meaning that up to almost a third of London’s fire engines have been out of action at points in the last week. According to London Fire Brigade statistics 40 fire engines were unavailable on both...

Surrey fire and rescue is suffering from the effect of cuts more than ever, says the Fire Brigades Union, after a new inspection of Surrey Fire and Rescue service claimed to find ‘progress’. The union has pointed to low fire engine availability and a handful of concerning incidents as evidence for...

The Fire Brigades Union has said that an inspection of Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service confirms that the fire and rescue service is not getting the funding it needs from government. The report, released yesterday, comes from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services...

The Fire Brigades Union has said that an inspection of Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service confirms that the fire and rescue service in Buckinghamshire is struggling to provide basic functions. The report, released yesterday, comes from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue...