Fire union accuses bosses of negligence

Fire union members are blaming bosses at the Greater Manchester headquarters after four engines were off the road on New Year’s Eve.

The Fire Brigades Union says bad rota planning and lack of recruitment led to Heywood, Chadderton, Leigh, Philips Park, Wythenshawe, and Stretford fire stations all being one pump down on Tuesday night.

They say Oldham was also without cover on Saturday night because of shortages.

Managers blame staff shortages due to sickness and a lack of volunteers to work overtime to cover the shifts.

But an angry union member who did not wish to be named said: “They would say that. But why should we be working overtime to cover shortages which they have created? That is nonsense.”

Managers said they were making the best use of resources on quiet nights. But the latest cuts were in addition to those regular changes.

Peter Taylor, FBU Secretary for Greater Manchester said: “We warned several weeks ago that this would happen.

“Despite our serious concerns we believe that decisions have been made which threaten public and firefighter safety.

“This crisis has nothing to do with sickness levels but all to do with poor management decision making.

“Members of the public, and the politicians who claim to represent them, need to ask why public and firefighter safety is being put at risk in this way. This latest crisis comes on the back of a decision taken, just before Christmas, not to respond to automatic fire alarms, a decision the FBU believes will leave at least one fire a week to burn unattended.”

Deputy County Fire Officer Tony Proctor said: “Over the last few days there have been three night shifts when up to four fire engines have been unavailable because of staff shortages.

“Sickness has been unusually high and off duty firefighters have not volunteered to cover. But we still have more than 60 engines staffed and our emergency response standards have not been compromised.

“We expect crewing levels to return to normal on New Year’s Day.”