“Getting rid of the fifth firefighter is reckless”

This letter sent to the Star was written by Paddy J Cawkwell, West Street, Conisbrough
Neil Carbutt, Brigade Secretary, pictured with Firefighters from across Doncaster and Rotherham, who will join firefighters from Sheffield, as they travel to London to protest against the propsed cuts to night services.Neil Carbutt, Brigade Secretary, pictured with Firefighters from across Doncaster and Rotherham, who will join firefighters from Sheffield, as they travel to London to protest against the propsed cuts to night services.
Neil Carbutt, Brigade Secretary, pictured with Firefighters from across Doncaster and Rotherham, who will join firefighters from Sheffield, as they travel to London to protest against the propsed cuts to night services.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is proposing to cut the number of firefighters on a fire appliance from five to four.

This so-called “fifth operative” is the person preparing the hoses and other equipment when they arrive at an emergency incident. To remove that person is nothing short of reckless abandonment of our communities and the fact is its the poorest areas that feel these cuts first.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority has removed the second pump from nights at Rotherham Fire Station.

This means that when Rotherham’s sole pump is called out to an incident the retained pump at Dearne Fire Station will then drive to Rotherham at normal road speed to their fire station. Who will respond to a fire incident at Mexborough if Dearne’s fire appliance is at Rotherham Fire Station? Of course a resource will be sent, but from where?

The residents of Mexborough and the wider Doncaster community should feel very angry about this. There is a petition people should sign to stop this attack on our Fire and Rescue Service. 

Visit https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/stop-cuts-to-south-yorkshire-fire-and-rescue-service-1?bucket&source=facebook-share-button&time=1555103424&fbclid=IwAR37U6eeKyVIvNfzlxH1wE5jIciw2YcOGvNdZ3dA2TuUeN4YfiyieSFymoo

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

What people need to do is lobby their councillors and MPs to ensure the message is received loud and clear that we don’t want this cut. There is currently £27m in reserves and a consistent underspend year on year. The ut is simply not needed. We all need to unite behind the life-saving firefighters and their trade union and get this attack on our firefighters off the table.