FIREFIGHTERS and the general public are outraged as Essex fire authority has voted through the biggest cuts in the county’s history, which will see as many as 130 firefighters’ jobs axed, putting people’s lives into serious jeopardy.
The news confirms fears that the people of Essex will have to wait longer to be rescued in an emergency and as a result have an increased risk of burning to death, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) warned.
The decision, the FBU said, also includes the removal or downgrading of nine fire engines. Gary Critch, chair of the FBU in Essex, said: ‘Even though this was the least worst of the options considered by the authority, these are still the biggest cuts we have ever seen to firefighting in Essex.
‘There can be no question that these cuts will diminish our ability to respond when the public are in danger. ‘It is incredibly important that the service implements a cautious and flexible approach to delivering these cuts allowing them to be reviewed against the changing risk, as the services’ own figures show house fires and road traffic accidents are on the rise throughout the county.
‘We require just as effective an emergency response now as always. Essex firefighters continue to rescue more people than any other fire service in England, except London. We don’t want these cuts to turn some of these rescues into future fatalities.
‘The 17,000 respondents who took part in the public consultation made it clear that they want the best front line response possible from their fire service – 98% voted for the smallest front line cuts or for no cuts at all.
‘We urge members of the fire authority to remember this as we prepare to engage in urgent talks about an implementation plan with the least amount of impact on public safety.’
Critch concluded: ‘There should be no compromise when it comes to the safety of firefighters or members of the public. We are now facing a cut of around one-third to full-time fire services. Now is the time to explore all efficiency options elsewhere in the service and prioritise protecting the frontline service.’
