Tory Cuts to the Fire Service across Greater Manchester will effect every one of us. We need to keep our Fire Service. Fire fighters saves lives!
Sign the online petition here Visit the campaign website www.saveourfireservice.co.uk
Already almost 300 jobs have already been cut from the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. Recruitment has been frozen for the last two year.
The Tories have made further cuts to the fire service as they try to raise money to pay off a deficit built up bailing out greedy banks.
In order to implement the Tory cuts, the Labour controlled Fire Authority have drawn up a Corporate Plan for £23 million of cut this year – with even more cuts to come next year.
We are all used to seeing five firefighters on a fire engine – a driver, who also works the radio, in addition four fire fighters who fight the fire. Not any more! In future only four firefighters will crew a fire engine, so just three will be available to fight the fire.
With less back up, how can this be safe for those who risk their lives going in to burning buildings ? In future how can people trapped in burning buildings be sure they can be rescued in time?
The cuts plan would see one of the two fire engines currently at the Moss Side Fire Station got rid of.
Overall the fire cover at night is being cut back. In future a third of all wards in Manchester will have less cover.
The head of the Fire Service for Manchester, Andy Heywood, says that these cuts ‘will mean very little for the people of Manchester!’
But the Corporate Cuts Plan he is set to push through will mean an 11% cut in fire cover during the day, and a 15% cut during the night. Half of Manchester will have to wait longer before a fire engine can get to a fire!
This cuts plan relies on more fire crews from other areas of Greater Manchester will be called on to assist if their is a fire in Manchester. But Trafford, Salford, Stockport, Rochdale, Oldham, Bury, Tameside, Bolton, and Wigan ALL face cuts. The biggest cut is to be a 40% reduction in cover in Trafford.
The FBU is the trades union which represents fire fighters and control room staff. They have begun a ‘campaign to highlight to the public of Greater Manchester the negative impact the governments budget cuts are going to have on the level of service we will be able to provide over the next couple of years
and beyond.’
Their main concerns are:
- There will be less fire engines available during the day and even less at night when most fire deaths occur.
- The time it takes for a fire engine to arrive will go up in 57% of the wards across the county.
- There will be less firefighters on some fire engines, this will present two problems. Firefighters would be unable to commit crews initial due to safety issues due to reduced crew size, in reality firefighters would almost certainly compromise their own safety which could have repercussions for the individuals concerned.
Please sign the e petition launched by the Manchester FBU and register opposition to these cuts.
The ‘consultation’ over the impact of these drastic cuts closes on the 23rd January 2003.
Tell the Fire Authority what you think of the cuts plan by email
Manchester Coalition Against Cuts will host an open meeting in early January at which fire fighters will explain their concerns. Details to follow shortly.
