
![]() |
Brian Sims
Editor |
Home> | Fire | >Fire and Rescue | >Westminster continues to cut firefighter jobs |
Westminster continues to cut firefighter jobs
13 August 2018
FIREFIGHTERS DEALT with more incidents, more fires and saw more fire deaths last year than for most of the last decade in England, yet the Westminster government continues to starve fire authorities of the central funding necessary to keep the public safe.

Fire deaths in England increased sharply last year, in part because of the terrible Grenfell Tower fire. Some 334 people are counted as fire deaths in England (including 71 rather than the actual 72 at Grenfell). This is the worst year for fire deaths since 2010-11.
Firefighters attended over 564,000 incidents overall in England, the most since 2011-12. Firefighters attended over 167,000 fires, also the most since 2011-12. This suggests that the long period of improvements in public safety has plateaued – with cuts the most likely explanation.
Since 2010, one-in-five firefighter jobs have been cut. In England, that is around 10,000 frontline firefighter jobs. That means fewer firefighters at the early stages of incidents, slower response times and greater risk to the public.
FBU national officer Dave Green said, “These dreadful new figures confirm firefighters’ worst fears. Austerity cuts are now damaging public safety. For years, politicians have slashed our service and excused their actions because long term improvements were still being made.
“Now their figures show the public is at greater risk. The Grenfell Tower fire should have been a wake-up call. The Westminster government should have reacted by investing in the fire and rescue service, but instead they just keep on cutting.
“They can’t even keep a proper count of the numbers who died as a result of the Grenfell Tower fire.
“Firefighters have lost complete confidence in this Tory government. They are putting the public at risk, while wrecking a well-respected, professional public service.”
- Crowd safety app to launch
- Security in Lockdown: Best Practice for Risk Mitigation
- BSIA focuses on personnel categories in launching 2021 British Security Awards
- Fire safety breaches in West Midlands building realise suspended jail term
- Worker set on fire after striking electrical cable
- IFSM wants young workers views on fire issues
- Tall Building Fire Safety Network to run high-rise fire safety conference
- SIA investigators discover unlicensed security at Accrington club
- Latest data highlights sheer scale of post-Grenfell remediation works
- BSIA appoint Pauline Norstrom as Honorary Member
- State of the Union
- Government outlines fire service reforms
- From the editor
- Fire safety returns home to NEC Birmingham
- Blog for FSM website
- Cigarette fires on the rise
- Union outrage at 'obscene' pay rises
- State of the Union
- Fire safety on the agenda in Scotland
- Major fire at Worcester hub of home delivery firm