Hull to bear brunt of fire service cuts as authority axes 72 posts

​HULL will bear the brunt of cuts to Humberside Fire And Rescue Service.
Councillors decided to cut 72 firefighter posts across the service, with more jobs being lost in the city than anywhere else in the region.
Another 72 jobs are still under threat. More full-time firefighters are employed in Hull than anywhere else in the service area.
The decision to cut jobs was made a meeting of Humberside Fire Authority yesterday, which aimed at cutting �7 million from the service budget.
Members rejected the most controversial proposal put forward, which was to reduce firefighting crews from five to four.
That will save 24 jobs.
However, they approved plans to remove full-time crews from specialist appliances, which attend car crashes, and to reduce the number of people employed at full-time fire
stations.
Union members warned the cuts will lead to delays in fire crews attending emergencies.
Richard Walker, branch secretary for the Fire Brigades' Union, said the cuts will put the public at risk.
He said: "Obviously, I am disappointed with the loss of any jobs and there are still 72 more under review.
"It is disappointing the four special appliances, three of which are based in Hull, have lost their crews.
"That could lead to delays in crews getting to someone who is trapped in a car following a road traffic collision.
"When someone is in a crash, there is a golden hour between the crash and getting them to hospital which gives them the best chance.
"If there are delays in getting to them and getting them out, part of that hour is lost and you can't get it back."
However, Mr Walker, a firefighter in Goole, said firefighters will be pleased the authority rejected plans to reduce engine crew numbers.
He said: "That was the proposal our members were most affected by and it was the most contentious plan, so they will be pleased."
Chief fire officer Frank Duffield said the savings that would have been achieved by reducing engine crew numbers will have to be found elsewhere.
When asked by the Mail if this could include station closures or reducing the number of fire engines, Mr Duffield said he could not rule that out.
"We have to look at all of the options," said Mr Duffield. "I am disappointed the members have chosen to reject it, but I understand they are responding to the consultation.
"The authority has now tasked me with finding that shortfall, so we will be going back to the drawing board and come up with further suggestions."
During the meeting, Mr Duffield told councillors: "If you don't approve all of these
proposals, the authority will have to look at other options.
"This would have to include station closures or pump reductions – measures which are being considered in at least three other fire services."
Mr Duffield said the losses will be achieved through natural wastage and voluntary redundancy, with compulsory redundancies being the last resort.
Councillor John Briggs, chair of the fire authority, said: "The challenge for us now is how we address that gap. "That is why I am extending an invite to the unions and firefighters to assist us to find solutions for the future. "The plans we have approved today mean that when people ring 999 in the future, the response they get will be the same as it has been. "We would not do anything which would put the lives of the public or firefighters at risk."
The posts will be cut over the next year.

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503342/s/13274359/l/0L0Sthisishullandeastriding0O0Cnews0CHull0Ebear0Ebrunt0Eservice0Ecuts0Eauthority0Eaxes0E720Eposts0Carticle0E32980A750Edetail0Carticle0Bhtml/story01.htm

Dennis Bergkamg Lloyds Banking Group Ireland Classical music Highlands Pop and rock