Today firefighters will be gathering outside a Merseyside fire authority meeting ahead of a vote on reducing crew sizes to “dangerous” levels.
The fire authority’s Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) includes proposals to send firefighters to ‘non-life’ risk incidents with a crew of three on a fire engine.
A minimum number of five firefighters is needed to respond to incidents safely and professionally. This is particularly the case where breathing apparatus is required. A fire engine with three firefighters on board cannot deploy breathing apparatus and must wait for back-up to arrive to safely respond to life-threatening and many other incidents .
Firefighters are regularly mobilised to incidents that have been misdescribed or are escalated while firefighters are on route, meaning that incidents initially categorised as non-risk to life can quickly become life-threatening.
The Fire Brigades Union has also voiced opposition to the CRMP outlining the removal of watch managers from fire engines and reintroducing downgraded ‘small fires units’, which the union argues will put firefighters at greater risk.
Fire Brigades Union representatives will address the fire authority meeting, calling on all members of the fire authority to vote against these proposals.
Ian Hibbert, Merseyside FBU brigade secretary said:
A crew of just three firefighters is not equipped to safely enter a burning building. Firefighters are calling on all members of Merseyside fire authority to vote against a policy that will put lives on the line.
A fire that has been reported as non-life threatening can quickly escalate and spread. When people call the fire service, they expect a crew to arrive who can act immediately and save lives. With a crew of three, firefighters would have to wait outside for back up, when every second counts.
Merseyside fire authority must protect firefighters and the public by rejecting proposals to downgrade our fire service.”
Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary said:
The Fire Brigades Union has made it clear that sending firefighters out in crews of three is dangerous and unacceptable. Firefighters everywhere firmly oppose this life-threatening policy. No fire service should be putting their firefighters in this position.
We stand in solidarity with all FBU members in Merseyside as they fight for public and firefighter safety.
We need to be absolutely clear to the councillors on the fire authority: we will not accept this dangerous policy and it must be withdrawn immediately. “
