Essex Firefighters are labelling the proposed cuts as outlined by the Fire Service this week as the “Worst in History”. Across the county, crewing arrangements will be changing although there are no job losses planned . Posts will be removed and stations availability will change in moves designed to save up to £10 m. Orsett Fire Station will lose four posts.
All fire services are facing drastic cuts this year after the comprehensive spending review but the Fire Brigades Union are appalled how much money was wasted in the doomed Fire Control Project which was scrapped officially by Fire Minister Bob Neil in December . The project took seven years and had a budget of £423m. The rent alone on empty buildings cost the taxpayer £6.5m.
Mick Rogers, secretary of the Essex Fire Briagde’s Union, said the cuts are the worst in the service’s history.
He said: “These cuts fall short of the Armageddon scenario senior managers had spent the last few months warning us all of, but they still represent the biggest frontline cuts ever seen in the history of Essex Fire and Rescue Service.
“We are yet to measure the impact this will have on members of the public but any reduction in frontline resources will invariably be to the detriment of those requiring our 999 services.”
–The Fire Service says it wants to:
– Change crewing arrangements at Canvey Fire Station. From April, the plan is to change from one whole time and one retained crewed fire appliances to two retained crewed machines. Wholetime firefighters at Canvey will be moved to other stations and posts.
– Change crewing arrangements at Brentwood Fire Station from two whole time fire appliances to one whole time and one retained. Timing for this move will be within the first two years of the four year spending review as part of phase two changes.
– Also under phase two changes, the plan will be to reduce watch strengths at Orsett, Clacton, Loughton and Rayleigh Weir Fire Stations. This change will release 16 firefighter posts – not jobs – by removing one post from each watch. There is currently an over capacity for training purposes within each watch at 13 firefighters instead of 12.
– Under phase three changes, ECFRS plans to phase out the day crewing system which impacts Waltham Abbey, Dovercourt, Woodham Ferrers and Baddow Fire Stations. In a move designed to reflect a more accurate level of risk with cover, day crewing will be replaced by a new low level activity and risk (LLAR) crewing system. Day crewing stations are those where crews are on station during the day but respond by pager at nights and weekends.
– Finally, as part of phase four plans, ECFRS will change the current crewing system at Dunmow Fire Station from two retained crewed appliances to one whole time and one retained crewed appliances. The change will remove some retained posts but will introduce up to 28 wholetime posts, sourced from other changes being made under the review. This move is designed to provide strengthened cover to support the growth of the area, in particular Stansted Airport.
We have already made £3.3m of savings and have identified a further £1.6m before we were forced to recommend these changes to the frontline,” said Chief Fire Officer David Johnson. “With staff costs making up three-quarters of the Service budget, a reduction in firefighter posts is one of the primary moves we can make to cut costs.
“But we have pledged to do all we can to ensure that those people working with us today who want to be with us in four years time will have a job to do. Yes that may mean fewer firefighters in establishment terms but it is a relatively straightforward option that will allow us to deliver on our commitment to our staff and ensure we do not compromise on the level of protection we deliver to the public.
All staff impacted by these changes will receive letters explaining how they will be affected by these plans. ECFRS will consult with staff, their representative bodies and the public on all of its proposed changes once they are endorsed by the Fire Authority. Public meetings will be held in Canvey and Brentwood and information bulletins will be distributed to homes in those areas affected.
One of the known difficulties about changing crewing from full time to part time is the difficulty in attracting part time staff. Similar moves at Ongar Fire Station took at least two years to implement. At Canvey Fire Station where one crew is part time already the station has struggled to stay on the run during the daytime and its felt that it will be difficult to attract more part time workers.
