Kent firefighters will rally on Tuesday against huge cuts proposed by the local fire and rescue service, in a protest organised by the Fire Brigades Union.
63 firefighter posts are due to be cut, along with six fire engines being removed and five fire stations closed.
The plans put forward by Kent Fire and Rescue Service management will target rural communities with the closure of stations at Chilham, Wye, Cliffe, Grain, and Westerham.
Fire engines will also be removed from Tunbridge Wells, Faversham, Herne Bay, and Deal, while Thames-Side and Dartford will each lose one engine overnight.
The cuts represent the latest assault on a service the FBU says has already been stripped to the bone.
Since 2010, Kent Fire and Rescue Service has lost 462 firefighter posts. The union warns that removing further roles will critically undermine emergency response across the county.
FBU General Secretary Steve Wright said:
“Firefighters are protesting because these cuts represent a fundamental betrayal of public safety.
"You cannot strip 63 frontline posts, close five stations, and remove six fire engines and pretend communities won’t be put at risk.
"Our members will not accept this and our rally on Tuesday will be a show of strength that management should not ignore.
"We want these proposals to be reversed through negotiation, but future industrial action cannot be ruled out."
Notes:
The protest will take place at Kent County Council (KCC) County Halll, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1XQ at Midday on Tuesday 4 August.
Local firefighters successfully railed in their hundreds in June forcing the decision to be delayed.
