Star date: 2nd October 2019

CUTS BITE AS ECCLES LOSES ITS SECOND FIRE ENGINE

Six fire engines from across Greater Manchester, including Eccles, have been taken out of service today. Last week, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority approved the cut, promising "a comprehensive programme of communications and engagement activity across GMFRS [Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service]"

Crews are furious that this hasn't happened... "The first they knew about it was this morning" a firefighter told the Salford Star, adding that it was "totally unacceptable."

Full details here...

On 27th September, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, or GMCA, approved the culling of fire engines across Greater Manchester, from 56 to fifty...

...And this morning, the Salford Star understands, six engines were taken out of service in Eccles, Moss Side, Heywood, Oldham, Blackley and Manchester Central, without any notice, never mind the "comprehensive programme of communications and engagement activity across GMFRS [Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service]" promised by GMCA in its report.

"The timescale was never communicated to firefighters, and the first they knew about it was this morning when they received phone calls from our North West Fire Control centre saying their pumps were being taken off the run permanently" a firefighter and member of the Fire Brigades Union told the Salford Star.

"The staff affected were then told to go and work at a different fire station by another department" they explained "At no point this morning did anyone receive a phone call from a senior manager that this was about to happen.

"To treat firefighters in this way is totally unacceptable" they added "We have close connections with the communities we serve and to find out fire engines are being removed in this way is a shocking indictment of how the senior leaders within GMFRS and the Mayor's office regard those individuals who risk their lives every day."

There was a consultation on the £12.8million cuts – which over half of elected members in Greater Manchester didn't even read – and the results showed a definite thumbs down to the proposals (see here).

"The implementation of the full Programme for Change will see a further three fire engines scrapped, six fire stations merged into three and 197 firefighter posts gone" the firefighter said "Every year we see millions of pounds of public money being spent on ideological projects that have no public benefit whatsoever. The public deserve better and our firefighters deserve better."

The Salford Star is awaiting a response from the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service