Published: Sunday, 16th November, 2008 08:00
'High standard' in fire service says report
By Lucy Crossley
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FIRE chiefs have assured firefighters and the public that they are not at risk – despite research showing that there has been an increase in deaths in the service nationally in the past five years.
A report commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said in some parts of the country, crewing levels were not high enough, but Berkshire’s Assistant Chief Fire Officer Paul Southern has said operational crewing levels in the county are more than adequate.
In the report, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) was noted for the high standard of its operational response by the Audit Commission.
But, in common with other south east fire and rescue services, RBFRS struggles to recruit retained firefighters, 'on call’ firefighters who often work elsewhere. ACFO Southern said: “We have had a problem for a number of years with recruiting retained firefighters in Berkshire.
“We have flagged this up at national level, during audits by the Audit Commission, and at local level with the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority.
“This is due primarily to the fact that retained firefighters were traditionally drawn from towns and villages where they both lived and worked.
“In many such areas now, the houses are extremely expensive and are owned by people who commute to work elsewhere and are not
available as retained firefighters.”
A retained firefighter must live or work within five minutes of a fire station and ACFO Southern said that the credit crunch has meant that employers are less able to release their staff for firefighting duties.
But he said there are enough full-time crews to serve people in Berkshire, the crews are well trained, and they have the best available
personal protective equipment.
ACFO Southern said: “The last time that Berkshire firefighters died at an incident was in 1977.
“Their sacrifice is not forgotten and our operational response is based upon the fact that, although firefighters will risk their own lives to save a life, we do not want them to take unnecessary risks.
“The FBU report is thoroughly researched and uses information from a range of sources but we think it is important that the people in Berkshire who rely on us are not misinformed.
“We would welcome any measures to improve safety and welfare for crews and it is our responsibility to continue to do our best to minimise the risks of what is, by definition, a very hazardous job at times.”
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