Fire crews from across South Yorkshire are lobbying local MPs over cuts to frontline services at the House of Commons on Wednesday 1 February. Central Government austerity cuts will see the loss of 140 frontline firefighter posts and the loss of five 999 appliances.
Budget cuts mean the fire authority is looking to make £10 million in savings. It plans to cut £3 million from its admin budget and £7 million by cuts to frontline crews.
In addition, the fire authority plans to close 4 fire stations, replacing them with two new fire stations. That will mean longer distances for fire appliances to travel, increasing attendance times.
John Gilliver, FBU brigade secretary said: “These are slash and burn cuts with frontline crews being targeted once again. Politicians of all parties promised no cuts to the front line, but that is precisely what continues to happen.
“We’re going to end up with even more cuts to firefighters, fewer appliances and fewer stations. Frontline crews will be spread even more thinly than we are now.
“We were over-stretched by major flooding a few years ago, if anything like that happens again we’ll be over-whelmed. It is difficult enough coping since the last round of cuts and these are a step too far.
“How can they expect us to cope with all the 999 incidents we have to deal with, after cuts of this magnitude? It is simply unreal to expect us to be able to do so no matter how dedicated we are to serving our local communities.
“These cuts would clearly increase risk to the public and firefighters. We’re asking our MPs of all political parties to start demanding to know how we’ll cope in the future.”
Cuts include:
• The closure of Royston Fire Station resulting in the loss of its only Emergency Fire Appliance and frontline firefighter posts
• The closure of Darnall and Mansfield Road Fire Stations, being replaced with 1 new fire station – the loss of 2 Emergency Fire Appliances and front line firefighter posts
• Closure of Mosborough Fire Station – replaced with a new station at Birley with proposed changes to staffing arrangements resulting in the loss of Mosborough RDS staff
• Loss of 1 Emergency Fire Appliance at Elm Lane Fire Station – replaced with a small incident unit resulting in the loss of front line firefighter posts
• Loss of 1 Emergency Fire Appliance at Edlington Fire Station resulting in the loss of front line firefighter posts
• Changes to staffing arrangements at six fire stations meaning firefighters will be required to be on duty for 96 continuous hours. This will result in the loss of frontline firefighter posts from the following: Lowedges Fire Station, Aston Park Fire Station, Rivelin Fire Station, Tankersley Fire Station, Maltby Fire Station, Thorne Fire Station
• Loss of 16 front line firefighter posts at Dearne Fire Station – this follows the recent closure of Mexborough and Brampton Fire Stations
• Loss of 5 emergency firefighter control staff – reducing the number of already over stretched, highly qualified staff to mobilise Fire Appliances and to provide life saving guidance
• Loss of 34 front line crew manager posts
