Union refusal to crew new mini fire engine forces cuts rethink

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue (SYFR) bosses have ordered two so-called small incident units (SIUs) at a cost of £75,000 each as part of radical plans to cut the brigade’s budget.

Under Westminster-imposed austerity measures, senior officers are having to make cuts of £10m and may have to contend with even more severe cuts in a new spending review.

The introduction of SIUs is part of a package of measures which also include 140 job losses and station closures, moves also bitterly opposed by the Fire Brigades’ Union (FBU).

The brigade had an existing small incident unit, which had been brought into the service to cover minor fires during a strike staged by the FBU in 2009 over shift pattern changes.

In March this year the brigade attempted to introduce its use at a fire station in Sheffield, after scrapping a full-size engine which was kept on standby for times of high demand.

At the same time it ordered two new, purpose-built Mitsubishi vehicles, which are due to be delivered in weeks, in the hope of replacing more of their full-size, standby engines.

But in a report to the brigade’s governing fire authority, chiefs say they can see no way of breaking union opposition to the SIU, meaning a new strategy for their use is required.

The report says: “Members will be aware of the difficulties experienced in reaching agreement with the FBU on the introduction of small incident units.

“This is despite FBU members having willingly and successfully operated the current SIU both during and beyond a six-month trial period.

“As a consequence of the ongoing inability to reach agreement in respect of the SIU, management would like to consider alternative, more cost-effective SIU provision.”

It is understood that instead of basing the vehicles in a particular station, firefighters will be asked to volunteer to crew the smaller appliances, possibly on an overtime basis.

A brigade spokesman said it had not yet been decided where the vehicles would be utilised, but it is understood at least one will be used in Sheffield, while the other two could be moved around.

Nobody from the FBU was available to comment yesterday, but earlier this year, branch secretary John Gilliver said the SIUs were “not fit for firefighting.”

He added: “Fire professionals know that every large fire starts as a small fire. We don’t always know what we will find when we arrive.

“Firefighters will be put at intolerable risk at incidents if they are deployed in these vans.”

Controversial cuts are also proposed in West Yorkshire and renewed calls were made today for people in the county to have their say on the proposals.

West Yorkshire Fire Service has drawn up plans to axe 200 full-time firefighter posts and close a string of fire stations as it grapples with budget reductions.

The brigade has stressed, however, that no decision will be taken on whether to go ahead with the cuts until after the end of a public consultation exercise. The consultation is due to finish on November 30, residents are being urged to seize their chance to influence the county’s fire service future.

Under the proposals, six stations in Leeds – Hunslet, Morley, Rothwell, Garforth, Cookridge and Moortown – would be closed and replaced with three new fire bases.

Emergency response times in areas such as Morley South and Ossett would go up by more than two minutes.

If the plans are approved, they will be put into practice between 2016 and 2020. For full details of what is being proposed, visit the www.wyfs.co.uk website or ring 01274 655717.