Fire service bosses in East Sussex hit back at union 'public safety' claims

Fire service bosses have hit back at a union’s claim that a range of sweeping changes would pose “a major threat to public safety”. The comments come as East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) goes out to consultation on a broad range of proposals, known as an integrated risk management plan (IRMP). The consultation process, which began on Friday (April 24), has drawn criticism from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), however, which has accused ESFRS of attempting to “sneak through cuts while the public focuses on the pandemic.” But this is disputed by the fire service. An ESFRS spokesman said: “East Sussex Fire Authority (ESFA) carefully considered the decision to continue with the long-standing plan to consult the public and stakeholders at its meeting on April 23. “In fact, the work on the plan and for the public consultation has been underway for around 18 months and the suggestion that it has been ‘sneaked through” under the cover of the pandemic is simply untrue.  “It’s also important to clarify that the authority have a statutory duty to put in place a revised plan, under the `National Framework’, and the current one expires this year. “The implications of holding a consultation during the current situation and the counter impact of the service being able to operate effectively and protect the public if it was delayed had to be weighed up and considered.  “Indeed, in light of the COVID19 pandemic, the service has substantially enhanced our usual consultation and communication plans, and, as well as following the government guidance, sought advice from consultation experts.” As part of the consultation, ESFRS says it plans to direct mail around 10,000 households about the proposals as well as conduct telephone surveys for the first time. When taken together with online consultation, the service says it is expecting more responses than previous consultations. The consultation itself is set to run until June 19, with the East Sussex Fire Authority set to make a decision on the proposals sometime in September. The FBU concerns are not limited to the consultation process, however, with the changes proposed described as a “major threat to public safety” by the union. East Sussex FBU chairman Simon Herbert said: “Firefighters are out on the frontline helping our communities through this crisis whilst still responding to fires and other emergencies. “Meanwhile, our fire authority has thanked us by beginning the process of decimating our emergency response capabilities and ability to save lives, all from the safety of their living rooms. “These proposals are dangerous and will seriously damage the availability of fire crews throughout East Sussex.  “These proposals deserve proper public scrutiny – not an ill-thought-out consultation process snuck out in the middle of the pandemic.” The proposals include controversial staffing changes which are – according to fire service’s own documents – likely to see slower response times at weekends and evenings in some areas. They could also mean East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) would no longer come out to rescue birds stuck in nets or attend fire alarms at ‘low-risk’ commercial properties. It would also see fire engines removed from a number of fire stations across the county, although none of the stations affected will be left with less than one. An ESFRS spokesman said: “We do not share the FBU’s opinions on these proposals, although we understand their focus is to protect their members from any impacts.  “We would like to encourage everyone to consider the facts and data from nine years of incidents that is set out in the detailed report and have their say in this consultation.  “The conclusion is that we need to move our resources, so we better match them to the risks we have and enhance capacity in other areas such as building fire safety work.” ESFRS says the proposals will keep all  24 of the county’s fire stations open and increase the number of fire engines in Hastings and Eastbourne. They would also increase  the minimum number of fire engines available for emergencies at the start of a day, ESFRS says. An ESFRS spokesman said: “The longer-term impact of Covid 19 won’t be known for some considerable time and as the months pass, we will of course assess any new information or requirements which may emerge, but we don’t anticipate significant change in the short term.  “The draft proposals are to ensure that both the Fire Authority and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service will be strongly placed to effectively deal with the inherent and anticipated risks for the future and over the next five-year term.” (By Huw Oxburgh - Local Democracy Reporter) More Radio is continuously dedicated to providing a quality news service on-air and online, reporting local stories that matter across Sussex. If you found this story useful, then check out our home page at moreradio.online where you can find the latest from the county, along with features and competitions from our presenters, as well as listening to the station live.You can also sign up to our news alerts to receive updates on new stories. 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