FBU fears further budget cuts in Devon and Somerset

The fire caused massive damage before being extinguished, and placed huge demands on the resources of the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service who sent 150 firefighters to put the fire out.

On 20 October 2017, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority endorsed a draft Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP), which the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) believes will pave the way for more budget cuts. FBU brigade chair Scott Young said: "Since the Cathedral Yard fire we have all witnessed the horror of Grenfell Tower, which is a wake-up call regarding the need for more effective fire and building safety, yet the draft IRMP makes no reference either to the demands put upon the service from major incidents like Cathedral Yard, or, even more significantly, the potential issues arising from Grenfell. This despite 10,000 businesses in Devon and Somerset being identified as 'priority addresses'.

"Instead, the draft IRMP, which proposes how the fire service will operate in the coming years, calls for a review of how many firefighters crew an engine, making the completely unsubstantiated claim that 70 per cent of incidents can be ‘fully resolved’ with just two firefighters. We believe this is an inappropriate and irresponsible statement to make.

FBU health and safety and Exeter Rep Dave Chappell added: "There are already significant problems trying to maintain fire and rescue cover, especially in areas crewed by on-call firefighters, where currently there are on average 15 out of 108 fire engines in Devon and Somerset unavailable at all times, due to crewing problems. The answer, clearly, is not to recommend fire engines turn out with crews of just two, but to provide better remuneration for firefighters to enable adequate numbers to commit to this important and potentially lifesaving work”.

The FBU is asking for members of the public to support them in their campaign to prevent further cuts to the Service.