Media Release: 27th July 2010: In response to comments made by Cllr David Pugh during IW Radio interview, 23/07/2010

MEDIA RELEASE: for immediate release: 27th July 2010

In Response to comments made by Cllr David Pugh during IW Radio interview, 23/07/2010

http://www.iwradio.co.uk/newscentre/island-news/fire-control-centre-could-be-scrapped-1219

Andrew Cooper The Isle of Wight Command & Control Branch Chair of the Fire Brigades Union said, “Firefighters & Control members in the Isle of Wight Fire Control Centre wish to express their disappointment and concern at hearing the comments made by Cllr David Pugh, Leader of the Isle of Wight Council, during an interview on Isle of Wight Radio (23/07/2010).

“Mr Pugh’s statements expose a lack of comprehension to the limitations of caller location technology and the importance of local knowledge in dealing with emergency 999 calls to the Fire Service.

“The role, knowledge, professionalism and exemplary level of service delivered by Firefighters (Control), in Newport, is integral to the safety of the public and Firefighters.

“Local knowledge is becoming more, not less important in dealing with emergency calls to the Fire Service, with rapidly changing methods of making telephone calls increasingly exposing the weaknesses in automated caller location technology.

“Mr Pugh is making comments about a frontline emergency service to the residents and visitors of the Isle of Wight. We believe his implied proposed changes would deliver an inferior level of service to the public and Firefighters of the Isle of Wight, with little or no savings to local council tax payers (as experience with 5 years late, vastly over budget proposed Regional Fire Control Centre is showing).

“The Conservative and Liberal Democrat Coalition Government have repeatedly stated such services would not be cut or undermined by the strategic spending review. Mr Pugh is implying that the local austerity cuts will contradict this national position of the Government.

“Local Fire Control staff would welcome the opportunity for Mr Pugh to meet with them so that he is made more fully aware of the role of Firefighters (Control) and delivery of the emergency service at a local level.”

Ends

Press Contacts

Andrew Cooper, Control Branch, Isle of Wight, FBU, 07889 182 762

Paul Watts, Control National Sectional Committee, 07917 065 863

Tribute Paid to Isle of Wight Firefighter Paul Fletcher

Isle of Wight Council/Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service Press Release, 24/08/2009

The Isle of Wight’s Chief Fire Officer has paid tribute to Crew Manager Paul Fletcher who died in the early hours of this morning (Monday 24).

Father-of-two Mr Fletcher was pronounced dead at St Mary’s Hospital, Newport, shortly after attending a call to the nearby HM Prison, Isle of Wight, an incident which turned out to be a false alarm.

Chief Fire Officer Paul Street said Mr Fletcher, 39, of Newchurch, had been a credit to himself and the service since joining in April 2004.

“Paul cared passionately about the service and about serving Island residents,” Mr Street said.

“He distinguished himself in several areas notably training where his work was of such high quality that earlier this year he received the GO Union Learning Representative of the Year Award.

“In addition Paul played an active role in the rapid improvement of the service in recent years and was enthusiastic about continuing that improvement through the Model for Change Project.

“Paul was also very active and highly successful in working with the Fire Brigades Union nationally, regionally and locally starting as brigade secretary and moving on to the post of regional chairman.

“Paul will be sadly missed as both a colleague and a friend.”

Mr Fletcher joined the IW Fire and Rescue Service in April 2004 as a fire-fighter, having served previously with the police. He became a crew manager in May this year.

He leaves a wife Lisa and two children, a daughter of seven and a son of four.

Police, who are carrying out an investigation on behalf of the IW Coroner, confirmed that the death is not being treated as suspicious.

source: http://www.iwight.com/home/pressReleases/frmView.aspx?prId=788

Related links:

FBU Southern Region

Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service

Isle of Wight Council