Two East Lancs fire stations to move to 84-hour weeks (From Blackburn Citizen)

Two East Lancs fire stations to move to 84-hour weeks

5:00pm Friday 20th November 2009

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FIREFIGHTERS in East Lancashire will work controversial 84-hour shifts, leading to job losses, bosses have announced.

It has been confirmed that Darwen and Rawtenstall fire stations will pilot the measure, aimed at saving up to £800,000 a year.

Chiefs insist the move will not affect the level of cover in the towns. And unions, who had opposed the policy, say they now accept it because of the shortfall in Government funding for the service.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) also warned that fire engines would have to be axed if grants are squeezed further in future years.

The final proposals for shift changes come after a consultation period into the Emergency Cover Review, which also suggested replacing fire engines in some parts of Lancashire with smaller vehicles.

That move has been shelved, but the new shifts, renamed Day Crewing Plus, remains.

It means firefighters will spend 42 hours working and another 42 hours on call in a week. Following pressure by the union, they will be allowed to return home, if they live nearby, rather than stay at the station whilst on call.

As a result of the move, a total of 84 posts are set to be lost in Lancashire in the new few years.

Yesterday the Fire Authority’s planning committee approved the changes. If the Full Committee gives them the goahead next month, Day Crewing Plus will begin in Penwortham in the Spring.

Assistant chief officer Peter O’Brien said: “Day Crewing Plus offers a range of benefits for the fire authority, the council tax payer and the firefighters concerned.”

Steve Harman, FBU branch secretary for Lancashire, said: “We are not happy, but we accept the fire service is being forced into this position.

“There is no slack left in the system. We are going to start losing fire engines if it carries on like this.”

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