Firefighter crew shortages are already putting public at risk, warns union
FIREFIGHTERS have continued their war of words with Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service bosses, claiming staff shortages are already putting lives at risk.
As reported in Tuesday's Echo, day staff at four of the county's fire stations will no longer be providing night cover from this autumn – which could see engines unable to respond to emergencies.
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But now union representatives have moved on to claim that the issue of understaffing is already creating serious problems, with engines from major areas such as Lincoln, Sleaford, Spalding and Stamford sitting idle due to a lack of crew.
Fire Brigades Union secretary Craig Tuck said his organisation was concerned about "the inability of the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service to crew all of its emergency fire appliances across Lincolnshire".
"With up to 38 operational fire stations in Lincolnshire, 15 to 20 fire appliances may be unable to respond to fire calls through the day," said Mr Tuck.
"When a fire engine is unable to turn out, retained crews from the two nearest locations are called into an area to provide cover.
"What they don't tell you is that those fire appliances they send can be more than 20 minutes away and have to travel three times the distance to the incident," said Mr Tuck.
"There will be further risk to the public and firefighters' safety will be compromised."
But response manager Neil Fritzsche said having a number of engines "off the run" was nothing unusual for a fire service – and in comparison to other counties Lincolnshire was doing quite well.
He said: "We can have seven or eight fire engines not available because there are not enough retained staff at these fire stations who can give cover.
"That is worse during holiday periods as people have to take their holidays from the fire brigade at the same time as they take their holidays from work.
"And we appreciate that we do struggle to get retained firefighters for Sleaford.
"But we have a strategic response team who travel round and fill the gaps to try and keep these stations open.
"We have a performance target of having engines available 98 per cent of the time – and manage it 92 per cent of the time.
"When we can't respond we've a plan to cover these issues by sending the next nearest engines from both sides – that's standard practice. And the second fire engine arrives at an incident within 15 minutes 80 per cent of the time.
"Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service wouldn't take any action that would put the public at risk, but we can only do the best we can."
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by Lincolnshire Lady, lincolnshire
Tuesday, August 31 2010, 3:23PM
“Once again cutbacks and then more cutbacks (but only on the front line) HQ staff have increased many fold over the past few years but front line crews have not.
Are we not here to fight fires and respond to emergencies?
The role of a firefighter has become more and more a joke in recent years. There's no time for training, idiotic targets to meet etc.
Whereas senior management seem to spend their time (and our money) driving flash cars, developing solar farms and treating the ones who undertake the primary role like crap.
Mr Tuck has spent years attempting to educate these managers to see sense for the good of both the public of lincolnshire and the front line crews.
Unfortunately some managers just cannot be educated.
I¿m sure this will result in another fiasco like the shift pattern change which took nearly ½ Million pounds of OUR money in time, meetings and fees just to be dismissed at the final stage.
Mike, Dave and Neil - Listen to your crews, the public & Mr Tuck before someone dies due your incapability and negligence.”
by tim, lincolnshire
Wednesday, August 25 2010, 6:30PM
“i know for a fact that now more of the wholetime want to do retained as is at the minute but management will not let them, then there would be no changes and things will be good like they are now, so neil and dave ranscar, get round the table and take mike with you and get this mess sorted and sign the wholetime up on a main contract and give lincolnshire the best cover it pays for. O and people of boston, the swift water team and boat that is based in Boston, that response to 100's of water emergencies in your area is being moved, so if anyone is in trouble it will be over 20/30 mins for spalding to turn up, but if mike, neil and dave and mr tuck sorted this mess out then there would be no problem. If things stay as is, people will die!!!!”
by Jim Bullivant., The Paradise that is Lincoln !
Tuesday, August 24 2010, 11:09AM
“it may interest the tax paying public to know that the lease for senior officers cars is up and now the really difficult decisions have to be made, what car can i have ?
i have never seen such happy smiling faces imagine the dilemma having to choose between a jaguar and a range rover sport !!
i must admit there is a monthly payment to pay, but it doesnt include the tax, insurance, servicing cost, depreciation on the vehicle which will run into thousands of pounds per vehicle, who picks up the bill ?
i forgot to mention mileage is included.
apparently all done in the name of corporate identity ( according to one senior officer ) although you wouldn't be able to tell that it was being driven by a fire officer as the cars aren't marked up.
on the fire stations we are constantly being told about cut backs and hear the phrase "not in this current climate".
this obviously doesn't apply to all those in their ivory towers, or you could say wallowing in the trough of greed !!”
by Alex, Saxilberry
Monday, August 23 2010, 1:37PM
“Perhaps one should look at the 20% on call allowance paid to senior officers, some of whom rarely if at all turn out.
Is it value for money to pay an individual £20k+ pa for turning out, what was it - 3 times in 3 years ?????.”
by Raggot, Saxilberry
Saturday, August 21 2010, 5:10PM
“The response manager is not telling the whole story. He says it's ok to 'have a few applaince s not available' There have been occasions when 16 appliances have been off the run in the past few weeks. That's a big percentage of the fire cover. Also this 'strategic' team has been cut from the 20 which were planned to less than double figures due to 'vacancy management' Explain that one Neil.
It is not only the public that are being put at risk. At a job the personnel on scene rely on a swift back up for safety. Sometimes this can be over 30 minutes away if appliances aren't available. Sooner or later there will be a tragedy because of this. Stop the cuts and cost saving on the front line now. Fire and Rescue is already cut to the bone.”