Change likely for fire crews (From Witney Gazette)

Change likely for fire crews

RETAINED firefighters in Oxfordshire could be reduced and replaced with full-time crews as part of a radical service shake-up.

Fire service top brass have reviewed the current set-up and believe some retained crews are not sustainable.

Although some sort of retained presence would be necessary, it now seems likely the lion's share of the 300-odd posts will be scrapped and replaced with full-timers.

Managers have also explored closing Rewley Road station in central Oxford, along with Banbury and Bampton stations.

They looked at using rapid-response motorbike crews, and larger engines to carry more firefighters to incidents, but believed local objections and "operational difficulties" would prevent taking the ideas further.

Although the 30-year costs between a retained and full-time firefighter are huge - £292,000 compared to £921,000 - the gap is narrowing.

Retained firefighters - who must live within seven minutes of a fire station - cost £7,000 to train, but many are now leaving the service after only a year.

Employers are increasingly reluctant to allow their staff to be retained firefighters.

Chief fire officer John Parry said: "If we can't maintain our retained establishments, lives would be put at risk.

"It's my job to provide the infrastructure and resources, but I can't provide the firefighters - they have got to come from the community.

"But if the community can't support the service, then the service can't operate.

"We are not at that position now, but there is concern about turnover and increasing costs.

"We need to examine our options - including radical options. Twenty or 30 years ago we would get people who were retained firefighters for 30 years - that doesn't happen anymore, it's a big commitment.

"We are increasingly finding some are only with us for a year and it only takes a few of them leaving to reach the salary of a whole-time firefighter.

"It could mean we reduce (the numbers) of retained and increase whole-time firefighters.

"It is an issue we do need to examine, we can't just put our heads in the sand."

In the past three years, 142 retained firefighters have left the service in Oxfordshire and the turnover is such that the majority of crews could be full-time within ten years.

A county council report on the situation concluded: "The increasing difficulty in retaining firefighters in more rural areas is putting strains on the brigade's costs and resources.

"An alternative option for future analysis is to provide additional whole-time firefighters and reduce retained firefighters.