Secret costs of closing Isle of Wight emergency 999
A secret document outlining the costs involved with the permanent closure of the IOW’s only emergency 999 fire control room have been leaked to the Fire Brigades Union. If approved it would see Isle of Wight council tax-payers subsidising Surrey residents, whilst at the same time see a lesser service for Islanders in future.
FBU IOW Control Representative Andrew Cooper said “The lack of foresight, depth and clarity in this report is astounding, given the recent history of the Government wasting £460m+ on the abandoned regional fire control centres over the past eight years.
“The Fire Control Full Business Case raises more questions than it answers. It’s riddled with inaccuracies and assumptions that make it unsafe to base such a vital decision on. The report hugely understates the specialist and local knowledge of the island that is used by IOW Fire Control staff on a daily basis to give local residents the best possible and safest service. The report only considers the option to outsource to Surrey and has failed to adequately explain why other local solutions have not been researched, costed and presented as an alternative.
“None of the professional views and serious concerns expressed by IOW 999 Fire Control Staff appear in the report. As such it is not a balanced open report, nor does it include any costs to society, therefore withholding vital information from the public.
Cost assumptions within the report are widely inaccurate and give a distorted picture of the costs of the current control. In 2009 the control costs were disclosed to DCLG as £483,000. The report now states them as over £600,000 with no breakdown or explanation for such a significant rise.
FBU Regional Secretary Ricky Matthews said “There are so many assumptions made throughout the document it has become almost worthless. How can councillors agree to permanently close the islands only emergency fire 999 control room, effectively making 12 dedicated long serving IOW firefighters redundant, based on assumptions:-
• Its assumed that Councillors in Surrey will support the plans • Its assumed that the additional funding needed is available • Its assumed that control of the project remains with the IW FRS • Its assumed that the other essential services that carried out by emergency control staff will pass to the council • Its assumed that IW Fire & Rescue Service would look to a 5 year contract as a minimum
FBU Regional Control Representative, Paul Watts said “This proposal is being pushed through at a time whilst there is currently a Government consultation taking place on the future of emergency control rooms. I would urge Cllr’s to wait for the outcomes of that consultation. Failure to do so could cost the island tens of thousands of pounds in Govt grants and would ensure that the costs already invested in this botched plan don’t become significant.
Ricky Matthews added “Unfortunately if the Council agrees the proposals presented to them it will leave the FBU little alternative other than to begin legal action. This will be to defend residents’ rights to maintain their island emergency service and to protect IOW firefighter’s employment rights. This course of action will undoubtedly be a lengthy and expensive process for both sides, but I hope it can still be avoided.
“We believe Councillor’s need to pause, take stock and look at the reality of what’s being presented to them. There is far too much risk which is outside the control of the Council on the IOW to make this a viable plan.
“The Fire Brigades Union has previous experience of working jointly with Cllr’s and senior officers to find solutions to difficult problems. Given the opportunity we can provide alternative solutions which benefits Cllr’s, Officers, firefighters and most importantly Island residents, even at this late stage.
“We strongly urge Councillors & The Chief fire officer to shelve this botched proposal and enter into meaningful consultation with the FBU and the islands professional command & control staff to find a suitable alternative solution.
ENDS
Press Contacts
Andy Cooper IOW Control Rep 07889 182762
Ricky Matthews FBU Regional Secretary 07917 065863
Paul Watts FBU Regional Control 07917 065869
Sharon Riley FBU Executive Council Member Control 07889 088423
Further info can be found at
Charges over Warwickshire firefighters’ deaths
March 2, 2011 by admin
Filed under News, News - National
Three Warwickshire fire service managers are to face charges of manslaughter by gross negligence over the deaths of four firefighters.
Paul Simmons, Adrian Ashley and Timothy Woodward were incident commanders at the time of the warehouse blaze in Atherstone-on-Stour in November 2007, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
Ian Reid, John Averis, Ashley Stephens and Darren Yates-Badley all died.
The defendants are due to appear before magistrates on 1 April.
Warwickshire County Council also faces a charge of failing to ensure safety at work.
‘Public interest’
The charge against the council was brought under section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
The bodies of Mr Stephens, 20, Mr Averis, 27, and Mr Yates-Badley, 24, were found in the charred remains of the warehouse. Mr Reid, 44, died later in hospital.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12598130
36 fire fatalities in the last 2 months across the UK
February 5, 2011 by admin
Filed under News, News - Local, News - National
Figures released show that there have been 36 fire fatalities across the UK in the last 2 months.
In a recent press release, CFOA (Chief Fire Officers Association), dated 4 February 2011, stated that there had been 32 fatalities in the last 2 months:
Strathclyde FRS recently reported a ten year high spike in figures and increases in dwelling fires, fire deaths and injuries have been seen in other areas of the country. Peter Holland added, “Tragically we are aware of 32 fatalities which have occurred over the last two months across the UK in Derbyshire, West Midlands, Lancashire, Cheshire, Lothian & Borders, Strathclyde, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Humberside, Essex, South Wales and Tayside.”
Unfortunately on the day of release, tragically a further 4 fire deaths have been reported; one in North Tyneside (source: A 91-year-old woman has died after a fire at her North Tyneside home), two women died in a tower block fire in Lewisham, London (source: Two women die in Deptford tower block blaze), with another woman from this incident seriously ill in hospital. The day after, on Sunday 5 February, a pregnant girl, aged 17, died in a flat fire in Newport, South Wales (source: Pregnant girl, 17, dies in Newport flat fire).
Shockingly, this brings the total fire deaths to 36 in just two months.
The Fire Brigades Union recently repeated it’s warning that cuts will cost lives, as response times slow (source: FBU says cuts will cost lives, as response times slow).
Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary said: “Every second counts when there’s a fire. Our job as firefighters is to rescue people and we aim to get to every incident as quickly as we can.
“But the public should know that cutting firefighter jobs, fewer fire engines and other cuts will delay our intervention. The planned cuts to the service will cost lives if they go ahead. They must be stopped.”
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