The changing face of the fire fighters campaign

Andy Gilchrist

In recent weeks what began as a Campaign for Professional Pay for firefighters and emergency fire control operators has developed into a campaign to save the UK Fire Service from cuts.

The Fire Service is being portrayed as a backward institution steeped in old ways of working and riddled with restrictive practices. What is not explained is how such an allegedly inflexible organisation can repeatedly be described by the Government's own watch body, the Audit Commission, as a top performing public service.

According to the annual reports of Her Majesty's Inspector of Fire Services (HMCIFS) over the period 1972-1999:

England and Wales; all calls to the Fire Service increased by 123.7%.

Scotland; all calls increased by 157.8%

Northern Ireland (1977-2001) all calls increased by 146%

In England and Wales Special Services (non fire incidents) increased by 208% over this period. In Scotland the increase was 171% and in Northern Ireland from 1977 to 1999, by 373%.

The 2000/01 Audit Commission figures for the Fire Service show that Government attendance times were met an average 96% of the time (the highest performers met targets for 98% of the time).

In fact change is constant in the Fire Service. Modernisation is ongoing and, more often than not receives the support of the FBU. Indeed, we have pioneered new approaches to fire cover, fire safety and fire prevention whilst arguing for the increased funding necessary to upgrade training and equipment.

We are happy to cooperate with the necessary changes to training and skills acquisition as well as the more flexible use of resources in order to further improve the service given to the public. Our only caveat is that change be agreed with our members, not imposed by employers or unelected managers.

Our critics want a Fire Service on the cheap and Emergency Cover reduced to a wing and a prayer, particularly in the small hours when most life threatening fires occur.

They want to fund very modest improvements in pay, by reducing the number of full time firefighters and control room operators, and closing Fire Stations and Emergency Control Rooms. They want to replace whole-time firefighters' posts by overtime and rest day working.

They have buried their own report which calls for an INCREASE in the number of fire service personnel to meet the demands made of a modern fire service.

The FBU have not sought this dispute. We feel let down, we feel betrayed by people we thought shared our vision for a first class fire service for our communities; people we thought respected us for our contribution to society.

The Fire Service has a fine record and our members are proud to serve the public.

When I was elected to serve the FBU as General Secretary I said I wanted to marry our proud past with a bold future for both our trade union and the UK Fire Service. This is our vision please help to make it a reality.

Support our campaign for Fair Pay and for an even better Fire Service.

This article was first published in Hot News, the newspaper of the FBU in Scotland