Taken from leaflets handed to Rent24 outside Much Haddam Fire Station who through personal experience and common sense support safety and the work done by people willing to put their lives at risk to save others, without question.

A message from your part time Fire-fighters

As you may have read in the press or on TV, local Fire-fighters, including those of us who serve as Part time professional fire-fighters, are being forced into taking industrial action to fight the closure of your local fire stations. We have published this leaflet to help you understand our position.

When we are 'on call' we respond to incidents from our homes or places of work. Being 'no call' means we carry an alerter or pager. When this goes off we must drop everything and immediately respond to our Fire Station. Emergency Fire Control operators expect a Fire engine to be on the way to an incident in less than 5 minutes. This means that as a part time Fire-fighters we have to be ready to respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week regardless of the weather or personal circumstances at the time.

It means for example that if we go anywhere with our children, we have to take someone else in case the pager sounds. We cannot travel outside our local area when on call because we will not get back to the Fire Station on time.

We are dedicated fire-fighters who serve you locally and understand that local fire stations best serve local people.

The Fire Authority want to close two local fire stations in Radlett and Bovingdon and make additional cuts to the fire service across Hertfordshire. If these cuts go ahead there will be delays in getting fire engines to people who need our help.

The Fire-fighters in Hertfordshire have put together counter proposals for savings to the Fire Authority which would stop station closures but these have been rejected out of hand.

We do not want to be forced into taking strike action but we have little option left as we fight to protect your safety by keeping your fire station open and available 24 hours a day.

Our solution to cost savings have been rejected and our proposals dismissed. We remain ready to talk at any time in any place but insist the public receive the service they need 365 days a year. Closing fire stations does nothing to ensure public safety.

We hope this helps you understand our position and support our plight. Thank you for taking the time to read this Leaflet.

Fire Brigade Union Hertfordshire.
Modernise YES Downsize NO

As you may have read in the press and on TV, your emergency control staff and fire-fighters, including those who serve as Part Time Fire-fighters in Radlett and Bovingdon, are being forced into taking industrial action. We have published this leaflet to help you understand our position.

Fire-fighters are left with a simple choice. Accept all that this Fire Authority want to do to the Fire Service or fight their cuts. The government proposals will mean;

Two fewer fire stations

Fewer Fire-fighters to deal with accidents and fires

Fewer fire engines

Waiting longer inside burning buildings for crews to arrive

Staying trapped in crashed cars for longer

Remaining stuck inside lifts or trapped in machinery for longer

Having even fewer fire-fighters available at night when most lives are lost.

Fewer safety inspections carried out in buildings

We have a long tradition n Hertfordshire of fighting to defend the fire service. That is why this Government has now said they are changing the law so that they can close fire stations without allowing anyone, including local people and fire fighters the right of appeal.

Help us stop this madness. When we say we want modernisation we mean we want to be able to save even more lives through proper funding. When the government talks about modernisation they mean finding ways to make more cuts. DON'T LET THEM

For further information contact your local Fire Station.
Also go to...

www.hertsfbu.org     
www.hertsdirect.gov.uk

For fire safety information visit your local fire station