Fire jobs under threat

Firefighters may be asked to respond to medical emergencies

Up to 60 firefighters' jobs could be cut under plans drawn up by Kent's fire chiefs.

A public consultation document unveiled by Kent Fire Brigade on Thursday proposes changes including a cut in crews available to operate specialist rescue equipment.

Firefighters could also be used to respond to some medical emergencies.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Charlie Hendry said there would be between 50 and 60 job losses as a result of the changes, with 30 to 40 people re-deployed.

There are going to be no station closures Deputy Chief Fire Officer Charlie Hendry

He said: "The number of jobs that will be freed up by alternate crewing will be 89 and, as I said, a substantial proportion of these will be re-deployed into other posts.

"One of the things we ought not to lose sight of is that one of the problems the local authority has to face is funding the firefighters' pay deal.

"Ultimately there may well be a net loss of posts within the organisation but there are going to be no station closures, no reductions in front line pumping appliances and there are no plans for any compulsory redundancies."

Heart attack patients

Mr Hendry said remote rural areas would be most affected by proposals for firefighters to support ambulance services.

Retained fire crews are likely to be asked to carry equipment such as a defibrilator to treat heart attack patients, he said.

Mr Hendry denied the change in duties would undermine the role of paramedics.

But Harry Sawyer, of the local branch of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said the union was particularly concerned about firefighters responding to medical emergencies.

He said the proposed cuts in posts were the result of a desire to save money in the wake of the 16% pay award to firefighters agreed in June.

"We see it as a way every brigade up and down the country will make a cost saving," he said.

There will be a 12-week public consultation period on the plan once it is officially published next month.