STRIKE HAZARDS IW-BASED FIRE SERVICE

Date: 25th October 2002
Released by: ANDREW TURNER
Member of Parliament for the Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight’s MP, Andrew Turner, has warned that the proposed firemen’ s strike may put in peril the Island’s control of its own fire service. He fears that a massive increase in spending on the fire service will be countered by Government seeking economies elsewhere – for example by setting up a regional service or reducing the number of full-time firemen.

Mr Turner said, “I hope the firemen’s dispute will be solved without a strike, and I do call upon Island firemen to consider very carefully what course of action they should take in the interests of protecting the public locally. Fortunately most of our coastal towns and the West Wight will be covered by retained firemen, who are not planning industrial action. Military personnel will provide cover for Newport and Cowes, using two Green Goddesses and two tenders with breathing equipment, but with the best will in the world the service will not measure up to its usual high standard and swift response times.

“There is another Island issue which needs to be taken into account. If government, nationally or locally, is forced to spend more on fire service salaries then they will certainly look for economies elsewhere. The Government may seek those savings by forcing the Island’s service to amalgamate with the mainland. They may demand a reduction in the number of fire stations. They may want to reduce full-time fire service numbers and increase retained cover. The Government already wants to impose more national targets on fire brigades – let us not give them the excuse to take them over altogether.”