Labour Research January 2016

Health & Safety Matters

Fire response times


The FBU firefighters’ union says “the ever-lengthening times” it takes for fire crews to arrive are a direct result of “life-threatening cuts”. 


New Department for Communities and Local Government figures show a marked increase in the time it takes firefighters to get to emergencies — the longest response times in two decades. 


“Since this government came to power, the fire and rescue service has been decimated. We’ve seen 7,000 frontline firefighter jobs lost, 40 stations closed and scores of fire engines and equipment axed,” said FBU general secretary Matt Wrack.


He said there was mounting concern about slower response times in relation to terrorist attacks as well as fires.


https://www.fbu.org.uk/news/2015/11/19/longest-999-fire-response-times-20-years-government-admits