Government intends to cut it’s funding to fire and rescue services by 20% during the course of this parliament. In the last parliament they cut it by 30% - in just a decade their funding to the fire service could be nearly halved.

As a result of these cuts nearly 7000 firefighter jobs have gone, over 40 fire stations have closed and scores of fire appliances have been taken off the run.

These cuts have often been justified by citing that fires and fire deaths are both down. Although this is true it does not tell the whole story. These successes are largely down to the community engagement schemes that firefighters have pioneered.

The role of firefighters is ever changing. Although fighting fire remains a core duty it does not end there, firefighters respond to road traffic collisions, medical emergencies, industrial disasters, chemical spillages and major incidents such as terrorist attacks or civil disturbances.

Last year firefighters performed nearly 40,000 rescues but only around 10% were at fire related incidents.

These cuts put lives at risk - there could be more damage to homes, businesses, schools, communities, the economy and the environment.

By the governments own admission 999 response times are at a 20 year high. In an emergency - every second counts. 

Your fire and rescue service costs you less than £1 per week. Don’t let them destroy it.

Demand they put public safety first and invest in the fire and rescue service.