Around one hundred firefighters gathered at a rally outside Oxfordshire County Hall today, calling on the county council to drop plans to cut the fire and rescue service.
Firefighters travelled from across the county to attend. Speaking at the rally, FBU general secretary Steve Wright said: "These proposals will not only affect firefighter safety, it will affect the communities that we're here to protect. It is outrageous that they are now trying to close fire stations, limit the number of firefighters on the back of fire engines... We know that in Oxfordshire we take 2 minutes longer than the national average to arrive at incidents. Every second counts, and when we turn up delayed because of these decisions, firefighters and the public's lives will be on the line."
The Fire Brigades Union has described plans to close five fire stations and remove six fire engines across Oxfordshire as putting residents across the county at risk.
The council responded to today’s rally by confirming that a public consultation on the cuts will continue. The FBU says that firefighters are exploring the option of balloting for industrial action.
Jonathan Shuker, FBU brigade secretary for Oxfordshire said:
Firefighters made our opposition to the cuts loud and clear today, with a hundred of our members rallying outside Oxfordshire county hall. As firefighters, we know a dangerous situation when we see one, and these cuts will put lives at risk.
It is deeply disappointing that the council is choosing to ignore the voices of the frontline and bulldoze ahead with the consultation. We urge the public to stand up for their safety and their fire service in response.
The Fire Brigades Union will do everything in our power to fight the cuts, including the possibility of balloting for industrial action.”
