HFRS have commenced the EFC project which is designed to look at using its grey book employees more efficiently. As a public funded organisation we both recognise and support the analysis of optimising the usage of is workforce. In addition we identify that changes can be uncomfortable and unpalatable to individuals. However change can create a better, more efficient and stronger organisation for the future and there are many aspects of the EFC project which bring in beneficial changes.
However one component which we feel is neither beneficial nor safe for the service is the reduction of crewing on pumps to 4 riders. Front line appliances are designed to carry 6 crew and it should be noted that many of the training procedures are designed around this maximum crewing level, however when we leave training and look at fire stations it is often a case that 6 personnel are not available on a specific watch. For Wholetime stations circumstances such as leave, offsite training and late notification illness creates a situation where less than 6 are available so wholetime pumps usually operate with 5 and sometimes, under exceptional circumstances, 4 available riders.
We have come up with 14 researched reasons as to why this is just not acceptable:
- 1) Moral dilemma.
- 2) Increase risk to the residents and visitors of Hampshire.
- 3) Increase risk to fire fighter of injury or death.
- 4) Rapid deployment and Health and Safety risks.
- 5) Additional cost to the community.
- 6) Increase in blue light response.
- 7) More pumps required = less carbon friendly.
- 8) Increase chance of musculo skeletal injuries.
- 9) Reduced crew to manage equipment.
- 10) Why train with 6?
- 11) Station ground.
- 12) Loss of morale and retention.
- 13) Delayed turnout?
- 14) Cost savings to the service?
We firmly believe that 4 riders will bring with it increased risk to residents and fire fighters in Hampshire and specifically, as identified by ADO House, RDS Fire Fighters do operate in different circumstances from our WDS colleagues which underpins our arguments against riding 4 on RDS stations.
Read the attached document for the full publication. |
